A Date with Destiny
by Kimberlee18
Summary: Erin Sharp is an ordinary woman who has just suffered though worst day of her life. But, before it's over everything will change when she's suddenly sucked into a world of magic, mystery and second chances. Mostly SB/OC with RL/OC later on. Adult Cont.
1. The very worst day

This story has been kicking around in my head for a while, so I've decided to give it a try. It centers around Erin, a muggle woman who has lost everything. Then, when things are at their lowest possible point, her life takes a strange and intriguing turn when she suddenly finds herself stuck in a world of magic and mystery.

This first chapter tells about the sad, miserable events that eventually lead to the adventure of a lifetime.

Enjoy!

(Please leave a review and tell me what you think!)

...

A Date with Destiny

Erin Sharp drove home in a haze of misery. This had undoubtedly been the worst day of her life; and that was saying something considering that the last two years had been pretty damned horrible. It was nearly impossible to stop the flow of tears that ran down her face as she slowly made her way to the house she had spend some of the happiest times of her life in. It was the first real home she had ever had.

As she pulled onto her street she fell into remembrances of the first time she had seen it. She and Jack had been married for only a year when they'd discovered she was pregnant. They had some money saved and they realized that their little apartment would soon be too small for their growing family. It had seemed to take forever to find a large enough house in their price range; they had inspected more than two dozen properties, but each one was either in too great a state of disrepair, or they were in bad neighborhoods. Then they had found this one. It was a fixer-upper, but it was certainly livable and it had a spacious back yard. She took one look at it and fell instantly in love. They quickly signed the papers and moved in just in time for their first beautiful daughter to be born.

At twenty four, Erin thought her life was as perfect as could be. She was happily married to the man she had loved since she was seventeen; she had a beautiful baby and a good job. How could things get better? Four years later she gave birth to her second daughter and quit her job to raise her family just as she always dreamed of. She truly thought her life was complete, but then things began to change.

Jack got promoted and he began to spend long hours at the office. She missed him being with her and the kids, and told him as much. He explained that with him being the sole bread winner that she should be grateful that he was working so hard to bring home the bigger pay checks. It made sense, but it didn't stop her missing him. Nor did it stop her from falling into a depressive slump. However much she loved being with her children, she still missed the warm, intimate company of her darling husband.

She tried to keep busy. During the day it was easy, what with the kids, and the house to keep her occupied. But at night, when she sat alone with only the soft drone of the television and her own thoughts to keep her company she felt the dark pull of loneliness creep in. There were really only two things that really kept her going during those long secluded hours while she waited impatiently for Jack to come home; Food and her favorite series of books.

By the time the baby turned three Erin knew that something was seriously wrong with her marriage. Whereas before Jack would come home late only to take solace in her arms, now he barely looked at her before falling into bed. When she attempted to rouse him to love her, he would mutter that he was far too exhausted and then roll over and immediately begin snoring again. Soon his whole demeanor changed. She could hardly remember the last time he called her beautiful. Now when he looked at her he seemed mildly disgusted.

She knew she wasn't as sexy as she used to be. She rarely wore make-up, or gave much thought to her hair as she had done before the children were born – after all, who was there to impress? And she was well aware of the fact that her body was no longer the sleek, smooth form it had been when they were first married, but she knew she was not unattractive. She could still turn heads; even if it was only the occasional bag-boy at the super market.

She had no idea how wrong things were until one fateful night about six months back. Feeling that things were quickly going awry in her life, Erin decided to plan a special evening for Jack. She made him promise to come home early and then she began the preparations. She super cleaned the house, made a superb dinner, bought a new dress and completely did herself up, and then shipped the kids off to her in-laws. It was all in vein. By the time Jack came home (four hours later than he'd promised) the dinner was cold, the candles had burnt out, and she was asleep on the couch. When she awoke and confronted him he snapped that he'd gotten swamped at work and couldn't get away and then he complained about how much money she'd wasted on a dress that she'd probably never wear again.

The dam of her silence broke then and the fight that ensued was so loud she was later surprised that the police weren't called. Finally Jack had thrown his jacket on the couch and stomped from the room. She snatched it up intending to demand that he hang up his own clothes once in a while when something caught her attention.

The sweet smell that emanated from the jacket was not a scent she was familiar with. It was far too light and flowery to be his cologne, and she knew it was not similar to any perfume she had ever owned. Then she saw the red smudge at the collar. Her whole body went still when she realized what she was seeing, and even though her mind screamed denials at her, she could feel her heart shatter.

She walked in slow motion to the bedroom where jack was undressing. He asked her snidely what she wanted, but she ignored him and picked up his white dress shirt from the bed where he'd left it. There, on the collar, was the confirmation of his betrayal. The red lipstick stains were like bullets straight to her soul. She turned to him and she saw all the needed in the flash of guilt that passed across his features. He didn't even try to deny it as he told her all about the affair he was having with his co-worker. He said he had been planning on telling her for a while, but that he'd needed time to prepare. She hadn't understood what he meant by that for a while, but too soon it all became clear.

When the affair had begun more than a year before it had been quite casual at first; He and his slut would meet for quick rendezvous while they worked alone into the midnight hours, but after a few months they got together more and more often. Even when work had slowed and the crazy overtime was no longer mandatory they continued to meet up in seedy motels or the back seat of his car. He realized he was in love after only six months, and together they began to plot.

He told Erin he wanted a divorce. He said that although he had saved plenty of money that she would never see any of it as he had moved it all into accounts under his mistress' name. He said they needed all of it as they were planning on getting married as soon as the divorce went through. Then he dropped the biggest bomb of all on her. He told her he had no intention of letting her keep the house or the kids. He knew the courts would make him pay alimony and child support if they stayed with her, and he had no intention of letting her leech off of his hard earned money any longer. He said it was really all for the best; she had become fat and lazy since she had quit working and maybe now she could get off her ass and do something worthwhile with her time. Besides, his mistress wanted kids, but he didn't want her to get pregnant and become all bloated and stretched out like Erin had and forbade it. This way, he said, they would both get what they wanted.

It seemed like she was living a nightmare since then. She swore she would fight him, but she couldn't afford the top end lawyers he had. She held out hope to the very end, but it was for naught. She stood in the courtroom and watched as everything good in her life was taken away. The judge granted Jack everything from the house to the furniture and then he ripped her heart out completely when he granted him sole custody of the children. Sure, she had weekend visitation rights, but they only went into effect when she had a decent job and a place to live. She was left with absolutely nothing.

When court was dismissed Jack approached her and said he wanted the kids dropped off to him by the weekend. Then he told her to start looking for a new place to live because he wanted her out of the house within 30 days. He said his fiancé wanted to start redecorating right away because she refused to live in such a tacky, unappealing home. Erin was so numb she couldn't even respond.

That week was the fastest of her entire life. She spent most of it hugging her children and trying to get in as much quality time as she could. She tried not to cry in front of them, but that turned out to be a futile effort. She never once bad mouthed their father in front of them, though she really wanted to, but she did explain that she couldn't be with them very often anymore. She assured them that it was not what she wanted; that if it were up to her, they would never leave her side. She told them again and again how much she loved them even as she packed their bags to send them away.

Finally the fateful day came. She loaded the girls into the car and drove as slowly as possible to their destination. Jack had been living with his whore in her apartment since the day after the big fight. Erin had never been inside, but she knew from the exterior that it was a very posh place. She prayed that the kids would be happy there, if only for their sake. She thought seriously about simply taking them and running as far away as possible, but she knew that she'd never re-gain custody if she did something as illegal as that.

The apartment complex had an elevator which thrilled the children. Erin was just happy to see them smile. Finally they made it to the sixth floor and the knocked on the door. Both Jack and his painted harlot met them at the door. The kids were very excited to see their father as they had missed him terribly and they ran over and leapt into his arms. Then Jack told them to kiss their mother goodbye. They happily gave her great big hugs and kisses and then the seven-year-old, Andromeda, asked the question Erin had been dreading. She had tried explaining that she wouldn't get to see them for a while, but she knew they never quite understood. So, when now Andromeda asked her when she would be coming back to pick them up she knew she had to make them understand.

"I don't know when I'll be back," she said. "Mommy has to find a job and a new home before I can come get you and that could take a while. You and sissy are going to live with daddy now, but I'll come and get you as soon as I can."

She saw the moment the information finally sunk in and both girls began to cry. They ran to Erin and hugged her as tightly as their little arms could.

"No, mommy!" Andy cried. "I don't want to live with daddy! I want to go with you!"

"Me too!" Three year old Cassie wailed.

"I know, my babies," Erin murmured into their hair as she hugged them. "I want you too, but the court says you have to stay with daddy for now. I promise I'll do my best to get you back, but this is how it has to be for now."

"Nooo!" The little ones howled, as they clinged tighter to her.

"Okay, that's enough of this nonsense," The harlot snapped, grabbing the baby by the arm and yanking her back, making her loose her balance and fall to the floor.

Erin saw red. She bent over and pulled the baby to her feet. After checking that she was alright, she turned to the strumpet and snarled, "You will keep your filthy hands off of my children!"

"Oh, what are you going to do about it?" The skank taunted.

It happened so fast that Erin didn't even have time to consider what she was doing. She felt herself draw her arm back, and then the bitch was on the floor, holding her bloodied nose between her hands.

"Jesus Christ, Erin!" Jack gasped as he crouched by his pitiful lovers' side. "What the hell do you think you're doing!"

"Oo'll e' earing rom by lawyer, bith!" The tramp screamed from behind her blood soaked hands. Though her words were muffled, Erin knew instantly that she had just made the biggest mistake imaginable and she felt a strange mixture of regret, fury and the urge to hit her again…only _harder_.

"Give me a kiss, darlings," she said turning back to the kids who had stopped crying to stare in shock at what had just happened. "I have to go now."

They each kissed and hugged her even as they continued begging to go home with her. Erin stoked their soft hair and gave each one a final, sad kiss before turning and walking out of the scene of chaos. She was halfway home when the true impact of what she'd done hit her. She'd likely never get her children back now. Hell, she'd be lucky if she wasn't arrested for assault. The desolate misery she had been holding inside her all these long months finally hit home and she had to pull over as gut wrenching sobs shook her body. It took several long moments for her to get enough control to finish driving home. Once there she collapsed on the floor and hugged her arms around her chest as she continued to wallow in grief and despair.

The sun had long set before she once again had the strength to stand. There were no rational thoughts in her mind as she walked from room to room in her dark, empty house. She didn't know what she was looking for, but she knew that whatever it was, it could no longer be found here. Eventually she settled enough to shower and put on her most comfortable nightgown. She tried to sleep, but her mind, which had been so numb until now was racing and she found that her eyes refused to stay closed.

With a deep sigh she went down to the kitchen and made a snack which she didn't really want, and subsequently threw out. She wandered the house for a while searching desperately for something to take her mind off of her problems, but in the end there was just one thing that appealed to her. It was the one thing she could always lose herself in; the one thing that always made her feel better. She looked at the series of books and simply couldn't decide which one she wanted so she closed her eyes and picked at random.

She made her way back up to her bedroom and settled down into the large, empty bed. Then she opened the book and began to read the familiar story about a world of magic and adventure revolving around the life of a young boy named Harry Potter.

Reading these books always made her feel nostalgic about her own youth. She was just slightly older than Harry Potter was supposed to be, and although she was an American, reading about his school day adventures made her reminisce about her own high school career. She had met Jack when she was just a sixteen-year -old sophomore, and by her seventeenth birthday she knew he was the man she wanted to marry.

Erin came from poor beginnings. Her parents had died when she was young and she spent her childhood being passed from family member to family member, whereas Jack came from a stable home with decent money. His family wasn't rich by any standards, but they had enough to live comfortably and still have fun. Because of that, Jack was often able to buy her presents and take her out to fancy dinners. Through him she was able to experience new and exciting things and it made her esteem of him grow. That his family seemed to accept her as well only increased her devotion to him. They often invited her on family vacations and because of that she got to visit places she had only ever read about.

They finished high school together and went on to college, and when Jack proposed when she was just nineteen, she quit school to begin working full time so that they could live together while he got his degree. The understanding was that he would do the same for her after they were married, but they never seemed to have enough money and then she got pregnant and her dreams changed and began to revolve solely around family.

Now, though she wouldn't trade her kids for anything, she wondered what might have been. If she had to do it all over again, what different decisions might she make? If she hadn't dated Jack, and instead went out with one other the other boys who vied for her attention back in the day, where would she be now? As she thought about the care-free days of her youth her eyes began to drift shut.

Erin didn't know exactly when she finally fell asleep, but as she floated weightless in the darkened sky she knew she must be dreaming. She looked lazily around and realized that she was hovering high above her own neighborhood. The houses were pretty much all dark with only a few lights shining on porches and in bedrooms and she could see the headlights of a few scattered cars as they slowly made their way along the quiet streets.

Erin watched the scene below with mild interest for a time until something else caught her attention. From somewhere in the distance she heard a loud and echoing 'CRACK'. She twisted around to try and locate the sound, but saw nothing unusual except for a dim light far off in the distance. She wondered idly if perhaps it was a plane, but it seemed to be flying too low for that. It also appeared to be moving very quickly. As she watched the light seemed to grow brighter, but perhaps that was because it was getting closer. Soon it became clear that whatever the light was, it was heading straight for her.

She was surprisingly unconcerned as the bright light soon bathed her in its sparkling brilliance. It felt warm and comforting on her skin and she actually giggled as it seemingly engulfed her. Then Erin heard another loud 'CRACK' and she felt her body begin to move. She flew forward slowly at first, but soon she began to pick up speed as the light shifted and pushed her downward. She worried that she would crash into the ground, but there was never any impact as she continued to fall. The light then began to change again and bright colors flashed all around her as the world seemed to melt away.

Erin felt her body pick up speed again and she tried to slow her decent, but nothing she did seemed to matter and in fact all she managed to do was send herself into a spin. She felt the first tremors of fear race down her spine as the twirling colors grew darker and began to form a cylinder or tunnel around her. She thought she saw objects whizzing by in the distance, but she was moving so quickly that nothing could catch her eye for more than a second. She wondered when and if she would ever stop falling and almost instantly she felt her body slam into something surprisingly soft. It took a moment for her head to stop spinning, but when it did her eyes snapped open and she bolted upright in the darkness.


	2. These dreams

Well, if you've made it past chapter one, Thank You! I worry that people will skim it, note the distinct lack of Harry Potter characters and move on to another story. However, if you've made it this far, you'll be happy to note that all of that is about to change!

I hope you enjoy this chapter, and as always, please leave a review!

...

There was nothing but darkness surrounding her when Erin's eyes flew open. Her heart was beating wildly, and she had no idea if she was awake or if this was still part of the dream. There seemed to be nothing around her at first, but as her eyes adjusted she realized that she was sitting inside some kind of cloth lined enclosure. Reaching out, she grasped the material and it parted easily; letting in a rush of warm air and a glimmer of light. She realized two things at once; the first was that she was actually in some sort of canopy bed, and the other was that she had no idea where she was.

As cautiously and quietly as she could, Erin crawled out of the bed and stood up. She winced when her feet touched a cold stone floor. After frowning down at the grey stones, she slowly began to take in the rest of the room. It was circular, and there were four other beds identical to the one she'd just left evenly spaced around the perimeter. In the middle of the room stood a small wood burning heater that gave off just enough light to allow her to see. It was odd; even though she didn't recognize the room, it seemed oddly familiar.

She spotted a door tucked unobtrusively between two of the beds and she chewed her lips as she decided whether or not to venture outside. Finally she shrugged, and approached the door. After all, she was getting nowhere just standing there, and she might find a clue as to where she was if she looked elsewhere.

Erin opened the door as stealthily as she could and crept out beyond it only to find herself standing at the top of a sharply twisting staircase. There were more doors lining the walls as the stairs twirled downward, but she couldn't bring herself to open any of them for fear of what lay beyond. Stiffening her resolve, she slowly crept forward and eventually the stairs opened up into a large stone sitting room.

A bright fire burned in a huge fireplace at the opposite end of the room. There were several mismatched couches, chairs, and tables scattered around, giving the room a very lived-in look. A dozen or so portraits of various sizes hung on the walls, as did several red and gold banners and papers that appeared to be notices of some sort. She made her way over to one of them and began reading. It seemed to be a list of meeting dates for some sort of group or organization, but she didn't have time to peruse the whole thing as a flitter of movement from nearby caught her eye.

She turned her head and quickly scanned around for the object that had moved, but the room appeared empty. Then she heard a tiny squeak. Looking down she saw what appeared to be a knee high figurine of the strangest looking creatures she had ever seen. It had a long nose, long, wide ears, and the biggest, shiniest eyes she had ever seen. She frowned down at the little statue, wondering where it had come from, and why someone had draped a pillowcase on it and then it blinked.

Erin gasped and stumbled backward away from it nearly losing her balance in the process. The creature reached out an arm toward her, as if to stop her from falling, but Erin flinched away and the creature paused.

"S-so sorry, Miss," It squeaked. "Tilly didn't mean to scare you. I-is there anything Tilly can help you with?"

"Um, what?" Erin asked, more confused than ever.

"It's very late, Miss," The creature who was apparently named Tilly said. "You should really be in bed."

Erin looked at the tiny being for a moment. It didn't seem to mean her any harm, but that didn't stop her from feeling trepidatious. She still had no idea where she was, and now she was standing here talking with a-a _thing_ that she was positive was not human. She was beginning to feel like Alice after she fell down the rabbit hole. With every turn she was confronted by something strange and new. Her confusion was quickly being replaced by raw fear. She just wanted to know what the hell was going on! How was it even possible for someone to fall asleep in their own bed and wake up someplace completely different? But then, maybe she hadn't woken up at all! That would explain everything. This must all be a dream!

With that realization came a sense of comfort. If this was just a dream then everything was fine. She was still confused, but she was no longer as frightened. Still, this was the most vivid dream she had ever had. She gave herself a mental shrug. Well, if this was a dream, then she might as well see where it was going.

"Right, um, Tilly was it?" she asked. "Can I ask you a question?"

The creature smiled and nodded vigorously, making its huge bat ears flap comically. "Of course, Miss!" It said brightly.

"Can you tell me where I am?"

She felt rather embarrassed asking it as the creature tilted its large head to the side and stared at her uncertainly.

"This…this is the common room, Miss," It said hesitantly; its protuberant eyes filling with concern. "Miss must be very tired and should really get some rest now."

"Yes, Tilly," Erin smiled softly. "I will. But, may I ask one more question first?"

The creature nodded again, more slowly this time. The way it was staring at her made Erin not want to ask at all, but she just had to know. "Where is the common room? I mean, where is this place?"

The creature seemed even more ill at ease as it shifted its long feet on the floor. "Tilly isn't sure what you mean, Miss. The common room is on the seventh floor."

"But, the seventh floor of what?" Erin pressed. "What is this place? Where am I?"

The creature slowly backed away from her all the while staring at her as if she were mad. "Tilly thinks she should get the professor. Miss is beginning to worry Tilly badly."

"No, that's okay, Tilly," Erin said reassuringly, seeing the obvious distress on the little creature's face. "I'll just go back to bed. You're right. I must be very tired."

"Is Miss sure?" Tilly squeaked.

"Yes, I'm sure," Erin nodded. "Thank you."

"Of course Miss!" Tilly said, smiling once more. "Please call on Tilly if there is anything you needs, Miss. Goodnight!" With that, the creature snapped her fingers and disappeared with a resounding 'CRACK'.

Erin sighed and ran a hand though her long black hair. She still didn't know where she was, but Tilly had mentioned something about a professor. If there were professors here, then that must mean she was in a school of some sort. A crazy thought struck her then and she laughed at herself for even thinking it. That was just absurd! But then again, this _was_ a dream…and that meant anything was possible.

Erin looked around the 'common' room and she frowned as she took in each detail again. It did fit the description…and she had been reading about it as she went to bed…could it be? Was this her subconscious' version of Hogwarts? Erin chuckled at herself. She had no idea she could be so creative.

'Well, if this is Hogwarts then that must have been a house elf,' she reasoned to herself. 'And the portrait hole to the seventh floor corridor must be over there.' She turned and looked at the deeply shadowed area near the fireplace and sure enough the exit was exactly where she thought it would be. By now she was deeply curious to see if her brain could conjure up the rest of the school, so she walked over and pushed the portrait open.

Stepping into the wide corridor Erin gasped at the vivid details her mind had reconstructed. Everything looked just as she had pictured while reading the books. Portraits lined the walls, and though it was night, there was just enough light emanating from the braziers that burned at even intervals at each end of the corridor for her to see clearly. Following the general map she had in her head from reading the books so many times she turned and began walking to where she thought the marble staircase might be.

To her delight she found the staircase without problem and she simply stood there for a moment watching them move toward her from the other side of the hall. The stairway eventually shifted back into place and she was just about to step onto it when a voice called out from behind her.

"Stay right where you are!"

Erin turned to see a man step out of the dimly lit corridor. He was rather tall and gaunt with long stringy black hair and a large hooked nose. His cloak billowed out behind him as he strode purposefully toward her. Erin didn't even have to guess who this was supposed to be as he glared at her with his stony black eyes.

"Students aren't allowed to be here after hours," he spat as he glowered down at her. "Just where do you think you are going?"

Even though he was just a figment of her imagination, he was still oddly intimidating. Erin stared at him mutely, unsure of what to say; though she could tell that as each second passed he was becoming more and more furious.

"Well?" Snape demanded, and then he really looked at her. She saw his eyes tighten as they searched her features and then he lit his wand and pointed it right into her face.

"I don't recognize you," he hissed suspiciously. "What house are you in?"

When she didn't answer right away his eyes narrowed even more. "Are you perhaps one of the Beauxbatons students out to meet someone for an illicit tryst? I can assure you that that sort of nefarious behavior is not, and will not be tolerated at this school!" He grabbed her forearm tightly and jerked her forward. "Both Professor Dumbledore and your headmistress will hear about this, now come along!"

Erin planted her feet firmly on the floor and yanked her arm out of his grip. "I am not from Beauxbatons," she snapped. "And you'll keep your damned hands off of me!"

She saw the surprise in his eyes as he took in her American accent, and then he raised his wand and pointed it at her again. However, this time his posture was defensive and wary.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" he demanded.

Erin couldn't understand why her dream had taken such a realistic and dramatic turn, but she shrugged and answered as truthfully as possible.

"My name is Erin Sharp and I have no idea what I'm doing here," she told him simply.

Snape glowered at her and tightened his grip on his wand. "What do you mean?" he snapped. "How did you get in here?"

"I woke up here," she explained. "Well, I dreamed I woke up here anyway."

Snape seemed absolutely dumbfounded at her words, though she could see the disbelief shining in his eyes. He looked just as uncertain as she felt, and she guessed that he was trying to decide what course of action to take now.

"Come with me," he said menacingly, reaching out to grab her arm again.

Erin quickly stepped away from him and crossed her arms over her chest. She refused to be treated this badly, especially in her own dream. "I said not to touch me," she hissed. "And I demand you tell me where it is you're planning on taking me."

"You are an intruder!" he spat, taking another menacing step toward her. "You are in no position to demand anything!"

"You know, you are awfully rude," she said thoughtfully. "I guess I've always pictured you that way, but seeing it in person really makes it sink in."

"What are you talking about?" Snape frowned. "What do you mean you've pictured me as rude? Have we met before?"

She arched an eye brow at him and sighed, "I mean from the books, of course."

He stared down at her at a loss and then shook his head. "What books?" he demanded shrilly, his voice rising. "What the hell are you going on about?"

Erin rolled her eyes at him. "Oh, this is getting me nowhere. Would you mind taking me to see Professor Dumbledore please? He usually has all the answers, doesn't he? Maybe he can tell me more about this dream."

"Dream? What the…? Oh, never mind!" Snape said, throwing his hands up in the air. "Let's go see the headmaster, shall we? Then he can deal with you and all of your nonsensical gibberish."

He motioned her ahead of him, most likely so that he could keep his wand trained on her in case she made any sudden, violent movements, and then he led her back down the corridor to the large stone gargoyle.

"Cockroach Cluster," Snape said and the gargoyle quickly leapt aside. Behind where it had previously stood the wall split in two and the spiraling stone staircase descended. Snape motioned her forward and the moment she set foot on it, the stairs began to move upward on their own. Once the magical ride had stopped, they both approached the shiny oak doors and Snape grasped the knocker. Before he even had a chance to use it a voice called out for them to enter.

"Ah, Professor," Dumbledore said brightly as Snape pushed the heavy door open. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" And then spotting Erin he cocked his head to the side in question. "I see you've brought a visitor with you. Hello, my dear," he smiled genially. "And who might you be?"

Erin watched Snape move to place himself between her and Dumbledore and she smiled inwardly.

"Um, my name is Erin Sharp," she said quietly. She found it to be quite intimidating standing this close to what was said to be one of the most powerful Wizards in the world, even if he was a fictional figment of her imagination. Still, it helped that his smile never wavered and he seemed genuinely warm and interested in her instead of wary and off-putting as Snape had been. Not that she expected anything else from him.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Ms. Sharp," Dumbledore smiled. "Now, please don't think me rude when I ask you what you're doing in our school at this hour?"

Erin couldn't help but smile at his impeccable manners. "That is a very good question," she told him. "It's one I've been trying to figure out myself."

Dumbledore and Snape exchanged a quick glance and Snape moved slightly closer to the aged headmaster.

"You're an American, aren't you?" Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "It has been a very long time since an American has been inside this castle. Not that it matters, of course. Now please, why don't you enlighten us as to how you came to be here? Perhaps then we can figure out your purpose."

"I'm not entirely sure there is a purpose," She shrugged. "Not many dreams have purposes, do they? Even really realistic ones like this."

"Dreams?" he repeated, arching an eyebrow at her. "I think perhaps you should start from the beginning. How did you come to be here?"

Erin shrugged and told him about her terrible day. It felt good to get it all out, even if it was just to her own mind. She explained how she had been having trouble falling asleep so she decided to read one of the Harry Potter books (he stiffened slightly at that, but did not interrupt.) Then she told him about the sparkling light and hearing the cracking noises and about falling down a tunnel of swirling colors to eventually find herself in one of the canopy beds in Gryffindor tower.

"I must say that this is one of the most extraordinary dreams I have ever had," she finally finished.

"Indeed," he nodded. "It is extraordinary." He studied her for a moment in silence before smiling again. "Where are my manners?" he chuckled lightly. "Please, have a seat." He motioned her to a chair in front of his desk and waited patiently for her to take it. Once she was settled he moved to stand in front of her. "Your story is quite fascinating, so please; let me see if I understand it correctly. You say that you are a thirty-two-year-old newly divorced mother who, after a very terrible day, awoke to find herself in a foreign land inside a magical castle that she is familiar with because of a book? Do I have it correctly?"

Erin nodded. "Yes, all except for the waking up part. I am still dreaming after all."

Dumbledore and Snape exchanged another significant look and then he turned back to her. "Ms. Sharp, I must admit that this has even me baffled, and I am not one who easily admits that. You see, I believe that you believe what you're saying is true, however not much of this makes sense. Perhaps I should tell you what I see. I see a girl no older than seventeen sitting before me. She is a lovely girl, no doubt, but she is also very confused and mistaken."

"Seventeen?" Erin chuckled. "That's very nice of you to say, but the pregnancy fat and the encroaching grey hair are a dead giveaway as to my real age."

Both of his eyebrows lifted upward and he shook his head. "I see no fat or grey hair. All that sits before me radiates youth and good health."

Erin pulled a face and then looked down at her body for the first time. To her great surprise, the figure beneath her nightgown was indeed fit and sleek. She looked at her hands and saw that all of the tiny wrinkles and work roughened skin had been replaced with soft, smooth flesh.

"Huh," she said in wonder. "Do you have a mirror?"

Dumbledore nodded and summoned a floor length mirror from the other end of the room. Erin stood and looked into it and was forced to take a double take. The reflection staring back at her was her own, but from a different time. It was the reflection she remembered having when she was still in high school. It was the spitting image of the face and body she'd had back when she'd first met Jack.

"Well, this is interesting," she murmured more to herself as she turned to take in her image from all angles. "This is how I used to look when I was younger. Damn, I was hot!"

Snape coughed and Dumbledore chuckled. "As I said, you are lovely, but you are by no means any older than seventeen or so."

"Well, perhaps my image isn't, but I certainly am." She looked at herself wistfully for another moment and then returned to her seat.

Dumbledore glanced at her thoughtfully. "What year were you born, Erin. May I call you Erin?"

"That's fine," she nodded. "I was born in 1978."

He smiled at her again. "Then by my calculations you are seventeen years old."

"Yes, I know that the Goblet of Fire took place during the 94' to 95' school year, so I suppose it makes sense that I look as I did back then. But, I assure you that when I'm awake I look my real age – as sad as that is."

"What year is it, Erin?"

"It's 2010," she said casually, and his eyes sparkled at her answer.

"Very interesting indeed," he muttered, as he began to pace the floor. Eventually he stopped and faced her again. "You mentioned before something about the 'Harry Potter' books. Could you please elaborate?"

Erin chuckled at the irony of it all, but went on to explain that the Harry Potter books were a series of stories each chronicling a year in the life of Harry Potter from the age of eleven to seventeen. "If the Triwizard tournament is going on," she mused, "then this is the fourth book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire."

"And you are quite familiar with this 'series'?" Dumbledore asked, watching her closely.

"Yes, it's my favorite," she nodded. "I've read each one many, many times."

"So you might say that you are quite knowledgeable about the people and events that take place in them?"

Erin chuckled lightly. "Yes, I should say so!"

Dumbledore nodded and went back to pacing. After a short while he stopped again, only this time he looked uncertain about something. "Erin," he began, but then he hesitated for another moment. "Erin, what would you say if I told you that this was not a dream?"

She blinked at him and then snorted quietly. "I would say that you are one delusional figment. That, or you're right that this isn't a dream, and I've actually lost my mind and I am the delusional one; which would actually make sense."

He frowned lightly. "I have never considered myself to be delusional, but then again, not even I am infallible." He seemed to be contemplating the situation as he stroked his long white beard. "These books…do they only chronicle the adventures of Harry Potter, or do they go into detail with other people as well?"

Erin thought back over the books before answering. "Well, mostly they pertain to Harry. Generally the reader only learns things about people and places as Harry does. There are only a few exceptions where we follow events from someone else's point of view. However, pretty much everything involving anyone important to the story is revealed by the end of the series. Though, I've been able to find out much more about the lesser characters from reading interviews with the author. When she wrote the books she really worked hard to create an entire universe. Everything was very well planned."

"Could you tell me something about myself that the average person might not know?"

Erin looked at him and saw the challenge in his eyes. It felt like he was daring her to prove that she was telling the truth. Well, if he wanted to play it that way, she was up for it.

"All right," she nodded. "Is there any specific aspect about your life you'd like me to recount?"

Dumbledore smiled and shook his head. "Why don't you begin and I'll tell you if you are correct."

"Okay," she shrugged. "Well, you were born in the summer of 1881 to Percival and Kendra Dumbledore. You had two siblings; a younger brother named Aberforth who runs the Hog's Head in Hogsmeade, and an sister named Ariana who was not able control her magic after being attacked by three muggle boys as a child."

She saw Dumbledore flinch and then stiffen as she spoke, but he waved her on.

"Are you sure?" she asked, and he smiled and nodded at her. "Your father tracked down and punished the boys and was sent to Azkaban as a result. After that your mother moved your family to Godric's Hollow. You went to school here and were sorted into Gryffindor house. After school you planned on touring the world, but your mother died and you had to go home to take care of your sister. That was where you first met Grindelwald."

"That's enough," Dumbledore said. "You do seem to know quite a bit about me. Perhaps you can tell us something about Severus now."

She heard Snape snarl and glanced up at him to see him glowing at her. "Um, I'm not sure that I should."

"Do you mean that you can't?" Dumbledore asked.

"I can, but I don't think he wants me to," she corrected stiffly, her eyes still on the menacing potions master.

"Please, go on."

Erin hesitated for another moment before speaking. "Well, um, the reason Professor Snape hates Harry is because he hated his father." Snape snorted and muttered something about that not being a secret. Erin felt his challenge and gave him a snarky half-smile. "However, the reason he protects him is because he was in love with his mother, Lily. That was why he begged Voldemort to spare her…"

Snape moved so fast she didn't have time to register what was happening until she saw his wand in her face again.

"That's enough!" he snapped, and she saw the fear and anger in his twisted features. "You're a spy aren't you? There are quicker ways to find out the truth!" He stared straight into her eyes and a piercing pain shot through her head. Erin gasped and grabbed her throbbing skull with both hands.

"What the fuck are you doing?" She screamed as she jumped to her feet and stumbled away from him.

The pain faded quickly and when it was gone she turned back to glare at Snape. Strangely, he was sprawled on the floor with his hands over his eyes. She Heard Dumbledore call his name and she watched as he bent down to check on the seemingly injured potions master.

"What happened, Severus?" Dumbledore asked as he pulled Snape's hands away from his face. From where Erin was standing she could see that his eyes were swollen and blood shot. She didn't understand what had just happened, but she couldn't bring herself to feel bad for the greasy git considering how he'd just treated her.

"She nearly blinded me!" Snape accused, pointing a trembling finger at her.

"I didn't do anything!" She snapped back. "You were the one trying to make my head explode!"

"That's enough," Dumbledore said with finality. "Now, what happened?"

"I attempted Legilimency on her, but it backfired somehow," Snape explained stonily. "It's as if her mind is surrounded by an…electric barrier."

"Will you be all right?" The headmaster asked and Snape nodded and slowly climbed to his feet. Then Dumbledore turned and faced Erin again. "Do you have magic?" he asked her with some surprise.

She sighed and leveled him with a disbelieving look. "There's no such thing as magic, professor. So, no, obviously I don't."

Dumbledore straightened and stroked his beard again. "Erin, did you feel pain just now?" The question was casual; almost flippant, and it made her wonder what he was getting at.

"Yes."

"All right," he nodded. "Now, have you ever felt pain like that in a dream before without immediately waking up?"

Erin opened her mouth to respond and then closed it again. She certainly recalled experiencing pain in dreams, but whenever it happened it was usually enough to wake her up. Generally it was something easily fixed like her hair was caught on something, or she was sleeping in an awkward position. However, the pain she'd felt a minute ago far surpassed anything she'd ever experienced while dreaming, so why was she still asleep?

"Oh, what the hell?" she spat, quickly becoming very agitated and confused.

Suddenly she just wanted this dream to end. She wanted to open her eyes and find herself lying in her own bed. She needed to find a way to wake herself up. Looking around the room she spotted a star shaped metal container sitting on a spindle legged table. Erin grabbed it up and felt one of the points. It was very sharp. Without pausing to consider what she was doing, she brought the point down hard on her arm. Instantly she cried out in pain and dropped the container. Tears filled her eyes as she watched a thick line of blood ooze out of the deep gash she had just made. She didn't understand it. The pain she'd just felt should have been enough to wake her up out of even the deepest sleep, but she was still locked inside her dream.

She felt her arm begin to throb and she gingerly touched the dark red wound. It was warm and slick, just as it would be in real life. Her hand shook as she brought her bloodied fingers to her lips and tasted them. Things never tasted just right in dreams, but the blood was salty and coppery, just as it should be.

"I don't understand," she whispered, raising her devastated eyes to the professor's face.

"This is no dream, Erin," Dumbledore said softly. He slowly walked over to her and took her damaged arm in his hands. A quick flick of his wand closed the gash and another cleaned the skin. She watched him work in silence. Her scattered mind was still trying to make sense of the situation, but no matter how she looked at it, it just didn't add up.

"This had to be a dream," she insisted, hysteria lacing her voice. "I can't really be here. Hogwarts is _fictional_. None of this really exists!"

Dumbledore shook his head and gave her arm a comforting squeeze. "I can assure you, it does."

"No!" she screamed. "It doesn't! This can't be real. I can't really be here! I have to wake up. I have to go home. My kids need me! I have to wake up so I can find a job and get my kids back. I-I just can't be here!"

"Please, sit down Ms. Sharp," he said, leading her back to the chair. She followed him without complaint and collapsed into it.

Snape, who was watching her display through cold, puffy, red eyes, turned to the headmaster. "Should I get a calming draught?"

"Perhaps that would be best," Dumbledore nodded. "She has much to cope with."

Once Snape was gone he turned back to Erin who hadn't so much as moved. He couldn't think of any words of comfort for the girl. She was obviously devastated, and he felt helpless knowing there wasn't much he could do for her. He watched her in silence until Snape returned a few minutes later.

Dumbledore took the draught and cautiously approached her. "Please drink this, Erin."

She didn't seem to hear him at first, and he was forced to repeat himself. Eventually her eyes flickered up to his face and she held out a hand for the vial. She hardly spared a glance for the contents before tossing it back; uncaring if it contained poison or some other harmful substance. She figured that nothing worse could happen to her today, and if it did, she just didn't have the energy to care.

She felt the draught take effect immediately. Her whole body relaxed and her mind stopped spinning, but it did nothing to slow the flow of tears that seemed to leak from her eyes.

Once she was calmed, Dumbledore knelt down beside her. "Erin," he said gently. "I know that nothing I say now will help you to feel better, but I assure you that I will do everything I can to help you get back to your own place and time. Until then, I think it best if you were to stay here with us. We can work out the details in the morning, but for now I think you should try and get some rest. I don't think you should return to the dormitory just now, so I will have one of our guest rooms prepared. Will you come with me?"

She nodded mutely and slowly got to her feet. Dumbledore gently took her arm and began to lead her all the way down to the first floor. The entire way she said nothing, and seemed to move on auto pilot. As for the headmaster, he continuously felt the urge to look over his shoulder to make sure she was still there. Her silence reminded him of one of the school ghosts and he found it to be quite unnerving.

"The guest rooms are actually just the unused classrooms which have been made over to accommodate the number of people currently visiting our school. Each room has been sectioned off and a private bath has been added to each so you should be more than comfortable." Generally he didn't feel the need to fill uncomfortable silences with mindless chatter, but he was beginning to feel strangely protective of this very confused, sad girl.

He led her to one of the plain wood doors and unlocked it with a wave of his wand. The room was large, but sparsely furnished with nothing more than a bed, desk and chair, and a fireplace. There was another door in the corner that led to the bath.

"I know it isn't much, but it should be more than adequate for now," he nodded. "Now, I must request that you stay in this room unless one of our staff accompanies you elsewhere. I also ask that you not speak to anyone other than myself or professor Snape for the time being. Do you understand?"

She nodded dully as she took in the room with unseeing eyes. At that moment Snape walked in with another vial in his hands.

"This is a sleeping potion," he said as he handed it to her. "You should fall into a deep sleep moments after drinking it."

Erin looked at it for a moment as if deciding whether she really wanted it or not, but then she took the vial and tipped the contents down her throat. She instantly began to feel drowsy and was forced to sit down on the end of the bed to stop herself from falling over.

"You might want to lie down," Dumbledore smiled. "Either professor Snape or I will come for you in the morning, until then try and relax. Goodnight, Ms. Sharp."

He watched her pull back the blanket back and crawl beneath it. Uncontained tears continued to drip onto her pillow for a moment longer, but eventually they stopped and her breathing became slow and even. He continued to observe her for a moment wondering what he was going to do about her situation. When no solutions came to mind he sighed and quietly left the room. This was a problem even he could not foresee. He knew that her presence could be either of great benefit to him, or, in the wrong hands, a terrible threat to them all.


	3. Making the most of a bad situation

Okay, here is the third chapter. If you've made it this far then you've seen that some awefully strange things seem to have happened to poor Erin.

I hope you liked what you've read so far, and if you have, please leave a review!

...

BANG…BANG… BANG

Erin came awake slowly. The deep sleep didn't seem to want to let her go and she struggled to clear away the cobwebs, then with a flash of clarity the events of last night streamed through her mind. That had been, without a doubt, the craziest dream she had ever had. _That's all it was_, she told herself. _Just a stupid, crazy realistic dream_. She repeated those words to herself again and again like a mantra as she slowly cracked open one eye. She prayed that when she looked around she'd find herself back in her own bedroom, but as she took in the sparsely furnished stone room her heart sank.

BANG…BANG…BANG

She grudgingly sat up and began to examine her situation. While it made absolutely no sense that she could even be here, she supposed the situation_ could_ be worse. She could be stuck at home waiting to lose her house and all of her possessions. She could be sitting there alone wallowing in grief over the loss of her children. At least here she had a place to stay where she was surrounded by people – that was something, wasn't it?

BANG…BANG…BANG

She huffed and glanced over at the door. Whomever was knocking sure was persistent. She chewed her lip for a moment, unsure if she was currently brave enough to answer it and face what the day had in store for her. Eventually she sighed and gingerly got to her feet. She was still very sleepy and her body wobbled; protesting the demands she was making on it. Using the wall for support, she slowly made for the door and opened it.

Professor Snape stood there looking mildly disgruntled at having to wait for so long, but he took in her disheveled appearance and seemed to settle a bit.

"Professor Dumbledore requests your presence in his office," he told her formally. "It has come to our attention that you have made the acquaintance of a house elf named Tilly. She has been assigned to assist you during your stay in this school, and will be here momentarily to help you dress. She will then escort you to Dumbledore's office. You are not to speak with anyone else. Do you understand?"

"I've got it," she nodded.

Snape grunted and made to turn, but she held out a hand to stop him.

"Um, professor?" she said meekly. "While I don't appreciate you trying to force your way into my mind last night, I didn't mean to hurt you, and I apologize for it."

Snape stiffened and frowned at her words, but when he realized she was serious, he grunted. "It's all right. I shouldn't have overreacted, and for that I too am sorry."

She gave him a wan smile and then turned back into her room. She wondered idly if Snape had ever apologized to anyone before. She certainly couldn't remember it from the books, and that made her feel rather special. Of course, she couldn't remember anyone ever treating him like a valued person; other than Dumbledore, of course. She promised then, that if she was to be stuck here for any significant amount of time she would try to be extra nice to him. He seemed like the kind of person who could use a friend, and she knew that she could certainly use one.

At that moment a loud 'CRACK' echoed through the room and she gasped and jumped backward. The little house elf she had met last night stood in the middle of the room with a thick bundle held tightly in her hands.

"Hello, Miss!" Tilly squeaked happily. "Is all well this morning?"

Erin couldn't help but to smile at the tiny creature, who, she decided, was actually rather cute (now that Erin knew what she was.)

"As well as can be, I suppose," She answered. "How are you, Tilly?"

The little elf grinned widely at being acknowledged by name. "Tilly is just fine, Miss!" she enthused. "I brought clothes for you. Would you like to bathe before you dress, Miss?"

Erin considered that and decided that she did feel particularly gross. "Yes, but I'm not sure if I have enough time."

The elf frowned for a second and then she smiled brightly again. "Tilly can help, Miss! Hold still."

She set the clothes she was holding on the bed and then she waved her hands in a complicated pattern through the air. Erin felt a warm breeze pass over her and when it was gone she noticed that her skin no longer felt sticky and smelled faintly of lilacs. Even her hair was no longer matted and tangled; but instead fell in smooth soft curls down her back.

"Would Miss like Tilly to fix her hair?"

Erin smiled softly at the incredibly helpful elf. "No, that's okay, Tilly. You have already done enough for me."

"Pleeeease, Miss!" Tilly begged. "Tilly is quite good with hair but she never has anyone to practice on."

"Oh, all right," Erin chuckled and she sat down on the desk chair while the little elf went to work. It only took a few minutes, and when she was done she handed her a small mirror. Erin couldn't help but gasp. Her long thick curls were braided up at the sides to meet in an intricate bow at the back of her head while the rest hung loosely down her back. Even her bangs lay perfect and straight across her forehead.

"Tilly, you are amazing!" she gushed. "This looks wonderful!"

"Thank you for saying so, Miss!" the elf squeaked excitedly. "Can Tilly help you dress now?"

"No, no," Erin said, waving her off. "I can do that myself."

Tilly seemed almost disappointed, but she brightened quickly. "If you're sure, Miss, then Tilly will be waiting outside for you."

Erin nodded and then glanced at her hair again before sorting though the clothes Tilly had brought her. It was an average uniform consisting of a white blouse, grey sweater, black knee length skirt, grey jumper, tasseled socks and black shoes, a tie and, of course, long black robes. She pulled off her nightgown and began to change clothes. Not surprisingly, each piece of it fit as though it were made for her.

Once she was dressed she opened the door and met Tilly in the hall. The little elf smiled and started off in the direction of Dumbledore's office. Though it was still fairly early there were a few scattered students in the halls slowly making their way to the great hall for breakfast or to the library for a quick study session. Thankfully, they hardly gave her a sparing glance as they passed by. It would have been very awkward if anyone had taken a moment to realize that she was a stranger. Erin knew that she wasn't supposed to talk to anyone, but that would be difficult if someone approached her outright.

Once at the polished oak door that led to Dumbledore's office Tilly bowed and left her. As before, when she made to knock the headmaster's voice called out for her to enter.

"Ah, Ms. Sharp," he said, and then he took a moment to look her over. "Our uniform looks quite good on you. Ah, and I see that Tilly has worked her magic on you. Your hair looks very nice. I have to admit that everyone once in a while I allow her to braid my beard, for practice, of course."

Erin couldn't help but chuckle and Dumbledore joined her and then motioned for her to take a seat. "Now, as I see it we have several issues before us. The first, and probably the most pressing, is why you are here. Unfortunately, I have no answer to that, nor do I currently have a solution for it though I promise that I will do my best to figure it out.

"The second, which we must presently deal with, is whether or not you should stay at this school. You see, this is a school for children who possess magical abilities. Only those who can wield magic may attend this institution, which means we must determine whether or not you possess such ability before I can allow you to stay and learn here."

Erin blinked in surprise. "You intend to teach me magic?"

Dumbledore smiled at her. "If you possess magic, then I see no reason why you should not be taught to properly wield it. However, we must first determine if you have the capability."

With that he walked behind his desk and removed a long box from one of the drawers. "This is my wand," he told her as he walked back around to stand in front of her. "I assume that you are familiar with at least one spell, so please take this and attempt to cast."

"That's not the Elder wand, is it?" Erin guessed as she took the long smooth wand from the box.

She noted the twinkle in his eye as he shook his head. "No, this was my first wand. It is the one I used before I acquired the Elder wand. Even though I never use it, I found that I simply could not part with it."

Erin nodded as she weighed the wand in her hand. It was long and had intricate carving along the base. She didn't know enough about trees to be able to tell what it was made from, but whatever it was was rich and lovely. She glanced around and spotted a feather quill lying on the desk. She felt rather embarrassed waving a stick around like a child, but then she shrugged and held the wand aloft. With a quick swish and a flick she incanted the words, "Wingardium Leviosa." To her great surprise and delight, the feather slowly lifted off the desk to hover in the air before her.

"Marvelous!" Dumbledore clapped. "I suspected as much, but I had to make sure. Well, now that that's settled, we have to get you a wand of your own. As you probably know, a wand works best with its chosen owner so we need to find the one that is intended for you. The best wand maker I know is Ollivander in Diagon Alley. Unfortunatly, I cannot accompany you there myself, so I have taken the liberty of finding an escort for you."

At that moment the large fireplace suddenly flared with bright green flames and a man stepped out and began to shake soot from his clothes and hair.

"Ah, right on time," Dumbledore said as he strode over to shake the man's hand.

Erin used the opportunity to thoroughly take in the new comer. He was tall with sandy brown hair and rather pale skin. His clothes appeared well worn and had so many patches that she momentarily wondered why he didn't just throw them away. Even his shoes were very scuffed and weathered. It took her a second to piece it together, and then she realized who he was.

"Erin," Dumbledore said, turning back to her. "I'd like to introduce you to…"

"Remus Lupin," she finished for him as she got to her feet and offered her hand in welcome.

The twinkle was back in Dumbledore's eye as he nodded. "That's correct. Remus has graciously agreed to be your escort in Diagon Alley today."

Remus arched an eyebrow at the headmaster, but he smiled and shook Erin's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you," he said softly. After they had exchanged pleasantries, they each took a seat before Dumbledore's desk.

"I have already filled Remus in on your situation and since he is a trusted friend and ally, I can assure you he will use the utmost discretion." He reached into his desk and pulled out a scroll and a sizable pouch of coins. "This is a list of all of the books and supplies you will need and that should be more than enough gold to purchase everything you require including another uniform. When you are finished shopping you may feel free to stop in at the Leaky Cauldron for lunch. Remus should be able to advise you on which meals to avoid." He smiled again, and Remus chuckled. "There is no rush for you to return, so take as much time as you need. When you are finished Remus will escort you back here where you are to wait until I can speak with you again. Do you understand?"

"I've got it," Erin nodded.

Dumbledore sighed then. "There is one more thing I wish to discuss with you before you leave. It would appear that you possess intimate and detailed information about events to come. I must ask that you not discuss those things. You may speak freely about events that have already taken place, but no more. I have been thinking very seriously about this, and I cannot be sure how information about future events might affect our world and its current direction. I may change my mind about this later, but for now I must ask that you keep such information to yourself."

Erin frowned slightly at his request, but did not argue. She could sort of understand his logic but the desire to warn him of the things to come had been in the back of her mind all morning. However, if he didn't want to hear it, she wasn't going to force it on him. With a reluctant nod she agreed to keep quiet.

"Are we ready then?" Remus asked as he got to his feet.

"Yes, I suppose so," Erin shrugged, and then she shot Dumbledore a glance. "Unless you have any other requests?"

"No," he said kindly. "You two have fun, and I will see you later."

Remus walked back over to the fireplace and waited for her to join him. "Have you ever travelled by Floo before?" he asked as he grabbed a handful of powder.

"No, this will be a first for me," she chuckled nervously.

"There's no reason to be concerned," he told her gently. "It's very easy. Once I add the powder, you step into the fireplace and say loudly and clearly where you wish to go. In this case you will say, 'Diagon Alley'. Be sure to keep your legs straight and your elbows tucked in or you'll bump in to every fireplace you pass and that could be quite uncomfortable. Are you ready?"

Erin took a deep steadying breath and nodded firmly. Remus gave her another soft smile and tossed the powder into the flames which instantly flared bright green. She had to give herself a mental shove to force her body to step in. It went against everything she knew to willingly walk into fire, even though she knew that the flames would not hurt her. Once within the fire she began to relax. Though the flames licked all around her, all she felt was comfortable warmth. Finally, she took a deep breath and said very clearly, "Diagon Alley!"

Instantly she felt the world spin away and she was rushing though what seemed to be an endless stone tunnel. Occasionally she would glimpse the light of other people's homes as she whizzed by, but other than that the tunnel was pitch dark. Before she knew it she had landed rather roughly on the floor of Flourish & Blotts. She gingerly got to her feet and began brushing the soot off of her clothes. A moment later Remus appeared behind her.

"So, what did you think?" he grinned, taking in the disgruntled look on her face.

"It's not the cleanest method of travel, is it?" she grumbled as she shook out her hair.

He gave her a sympathetic grin, "No, it isn't. Well, it would seem that we've landed in the bookstore, so let's look over that list of yours."

As it turned out, Dumbledore wanted her to buy not only the seventh year text books, but also each previous year's texts for Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, and Defense against the dark arts. When Erin saw how many books she was to buy she suddenly got the sinking feeling that she wasn't going to have very much time to herself.

The books alone used up nearly half of the money Dumbledore had given her, and when she saw the giant stack, she wondered how they were going to carry it all, but Remus knew what to do. He reached into his robes and pulled out a small canvas bag. Erin watched him wave his wand over it, and then to her amazement he began to load all of the books inside. She remembered reading about Hermione doing something similar during the DEATHY HALLOWS, but it was still awe inspiring to see it in person.

After that they headed to the apothecary, the stationary shop, the magical instruments shop, and then to Madam Malkin's. After each stop she was sure that there wasn't going to be enough money left for the next set of purchases, but every time she opened her money pouch there seemed to be a fresh supply of coins there.

After she had been thoroughly measured and her robes ordered and paid for she turned to where Remus was waiting. "Are you hungry now, or do you want to finish shopping before we eat?"

He arched an eyebrow at her. "All that's left is to get your wand. Most people can't wait to get their first wand. It's a rite of passage, of sorts. Aren't you exited?"

"Oh," she blinked. "I suppose so. I wasn't really thinking about it, to tell you the truth."

He gave her an odd look, but then shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever you want to do. I'm here for you, after all."

She saw what appeared to be disappointment flitter across his face and she chuckled. "Why do I have the feeling that you're more excited than I am? All right, let's go to Ollivanders first."

"I haven't been here in ages," Remus mused as they walked over to the wand shop. "It really brings back memories. I remember I was so nervous that Ollivander wouldn't be able to find one for me that I was almost afraid to go in, but I found my wand after only three tries. I can't tell you how happy I was when I held my wand for the first time. It was, for lack of a better term, magical."

Erin giggled at the pun, but his story left her with some doubts. She didn't really belong in this world. What if Ollivander really didn't have a wand that suited her? What if he took one look at her and declared her a fraud. Those doubts haunted her as they entered the dark, musty shop and approached the counter.

"Well, hello Mr. Lupin!" Ollivander said as he stepped out of the back room. "It has been a while, hasn't it? Is there a problem with your wand?"

"Hello, Ollivander," Remus said congenially. "No, I'm good. Actually, I am here to assist a new student in acquiring her first wand." He motioned toward Erin as he spoke.

"I see," Ollivander said slowly as his mysterious eyes sized her up. "You're a bit older than the students I normally see. No matter. Please come forward so that I might measure you."

He reached under the counter and pulled out a magical measuring tape which measured her right arm from every possible angle. When it was done he examined his notes and nodded to himself. "Very interesting," he said as he glanced up at her again. "Well, let's try a few out, shall we?" He disappeared into the back room and when he emerged he had several long boxes stacked in his arms. One by one he had her try the wands, but after each one he would shake his head and hand her another. It took eight tries before he finally smiled and nodded happily. "Excellent! Hawthorn, eight inches, with a core of Chimaera scale. Very rare indeed! Hawthorn is not a terribly common wood for wands, and neither is Chimaera scale a very common core. I have had that wand in my possession for many decades and am happy that it has finally found its owner. It is a powerful wand and will serve you well, so be sure to take excellent care of it."

Erin hardly heard him, as fascinated as she was with her new wand. It fit in her hand so perfectly it was as if it had been made just for her. The wood was intricately carved with twisting vines of ivy but that wasn't what captured her attention. As she held it, it throbbed warmly against her palm. It almost seemed to be breathing; as if it were alive.

"This feels so…strange," she murmured.

Mr. Ollivander smiled. "That sensation is the wand accepting you as its wielder and acclimating itself to you. I know it can be startling to new wand owners, but it will pass shortly."

She was so fascinated that it took Remus clearing his throat to remind her that he was even there. She glanced up at him and blushed when she saw the amused grin on his face and reluctantly put the wand away. After she had paid, the two of them headed over to the leaky cauldron to eat. The place was nearly deserted which was rather nice. Erin already felt rather out of place and a large crowd would only make it worse. They ordered the rabbit stew as per Remus' suggestion and took a seat as they waited for it to arrive.

"As Dumbledore mentioned, he has explained your situation to me," Remus said after an awkward moment of silence. "I must admit that I found it to be really farfetched, but then you recognized me right away. Is my photograph in these books of yours?"

"There aren't really pictures, but more like caricatures or drawings under the chapter headings," she explained. "But that wasn't how I recognized you."

"Oh?" he asked, curiously. "Why did you know me then? Or did Albus tell you I was coming?"

"No, he didn't. Actually you fit your description nearly perfectly," Erin told him thoughtfully. "Everyone I've met so far has, not that I have met all that many people."

Remus flashed a rather cute half smile. "So, how am I described?"

Erin blushed and looked down at her hands. Her first instinct was to say 'poor, weary and scarred' but she didn't want to hurt his feelings. "Eh, well, you are described as being tall with sandy brown hair and pale, lined skin. You are smart, charming, and well-mannered. So far that seems to fit."

He looked at her as though he could tell she was censoring herself. "Is that all?" he asked disbelievingly.

"Mostly," she lied.

He harrumphed but did not press her. "You said I fit my description nearly perfectly. What's different?"

She blushed and looked down again. "It isn't that you were described differently, but more as if something was left out."

"What do you mean?"

Erin was positive she couldn't get any redder. She glanced up at him though her lashes and felt butterflies flood her stomach. "The author didn't mention how handsome you are," she mumbled quickly.

Remus blinked; sure he had misheard her, then a slow smile crept across his face. "Excuse me?" he guffawed.

"You are very attractive," she repeated, slightly louder this time. "That isn't mentioned in the books."

His disbelief gradually melted into a shy, appreciative grin. "So, I'm attractive, am I? Well, I can't say I'm not flattered, but aren't you a little young to be flirting with a man my age?"

Erin shot him a look. "I'm over thirty, remember? And I wasn't flirting!"

Remus chuckled lightly. "You look so young that I'd forgotten you're a grown woman. What must that be like?" he wondered aloud, "To get to relive your youth with all of the knowledge and experience you've already acquired?"

She shrugged. "So far it's not all it's cracked up to be. I mean, it is a novel experience, surely, but I can't truly enjoy it because of how very much I miss my children."

He gave her a gentle smile and patted her hand. "How old are they?"

"Seven and three," she told him, and had to wipe at the moisture rapidly gathering in her eyes. She had been trying to keep her mind from drifting to them because whenever it did, her lungs felt too small and her heart clenched uncomfortably.

"You must miss them terribly," he said softly. "I'm not sure what to say to comfort you. Is there anything I can do?"

She sighed and wiped her eyes again. "No, I don't think so. Thank you though. You know, even if I were home now I'd still be missing them, so it's not that bad just yet. At least here I have plenty with which to occupy my mind. If I were home, I'd just be alone and wallowing in my own misery."

"Didn't you have any friends or family?" he asked sympathetically.

Erin gave a disheartened half shrug. "I was an only child and my parents died when I was little so I never really had a family, but I did have a few close friends for a while. Then my husband got a new job and we had to move away. After that we just sort of lost touch. I was a housewife and mother so I didn't have a lot of time to meet new people. Rather pathetic isn't it?"

"I know how you feel," Remus nodded. "I spent many years alone. That changed recently when I rediscovered an old friend who had been away for a very long time."

"Oh, right, Sirius Black," she nodded. "How is he?"

Remus laughed at the casual way she mentioned his recently absconded schoolyard friend. It was still odd that she knew as much about everything as she did. "As far as I know he's okay. It's been a few weeks since I've heard from him. He's certainly better than he was before, though, even if he has to keep moving. Anything is better than being falsely imprisoned."

She shuddered. "I can only imagine how terrible that must have been for him; being locked up for twelve years with the knowledge that the real culprit is out there somewhere. How terrible for you as well…losing all three of your best friends in the blink of an eye. I can only sympathize with you, and say how happy I am that he's back and that you now know the truth."

Remus nodded sadly. "I couldn't believe it when they told me how he had betrayed James and Lily, but as far as I knew, he was their secret keeper, and so who else could it have been? And then I heard about how he killed Peter and all of those innocent muggles so I had to accept it, and I truly hated him for it. I regret now that I didn't try to do more to help him. I never even visited him to hear his side of the story. I can never make that up to him."

"Sure you can," Erin said seriously. "You can be there for him now. You can stand by him and be his friend again. You can show him that you care about him, and spend as much time as possible getting reacquainted. That's what he'll need, and it's probably what you need too. It's really all you can do."

Remus chuckled lightly. "You're right. That's what I should do, but how can I when he's on the run?"

Erin waved a dismissive hand. "Oh, he'll be back soon enough." She realized instantly that she had slipped up and winced. "Oops. Not supposed to talk about it."

Remus' eye lit up and she saw the compulsion to ask follow-up questions. "Damn," he said with a slight smile. "I want to ask when and how, but I can't. Ah, well. That bit of good news will have to do." Their lunch arrived just then and they proceeded to eat in silence. When they were done they used the fireplace to Floo back to Dumbledore's office.

The headmaster was waiting for them when they arrived and he greeted them warmly. "So, how did the shopping go?" he asked once they had seated themselves.

"Good," Erin nodded. "We got everything on the list. There's even some money left over." She pulled out the bag of coins and held it out to him but he made no move to take it.

"No, you keep that," he said with a dismissive wave. "We have a financial assistance program for orphans at Hogwarts. Since you have no family and no money, you are entitled to free tuition and a humble monthly stipend. The money you have left should see you through for a while. However, I would suggest that you purchase some casual attire soon, as students are only required to wear their uniforms during school hours and I'm sure that you would feel more comfortable if you had clothes of your own. There is a Hogsmead weekend coming up and you can get what you need then."

Erin blinked at him in confusion. Already he had given her so much, how could she take more? "I don't think…I mean…are you sure?"

"Of course," he smiled, and before she could argue he changed the subject. "Were you able to get a wand?"

She opened and closed her mouth a few times, still wanting to protest, but in the end she shrugged and gave it up. If he was going to insist on helping her, who was she to argue? "Yes," she said as she pulled out the long box and then opened it for him to see. "It's Hawthorn and Chimaera scale."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as she spoke. "That is a very interesting combination," he mused.

Erin frowned lightly. "Mr. Ollivander said it was uncommon. Is that a bad thing?"

"Not at all," he assured. "You see, some core and wood combinations give the wand greater ability with certain types of magic. For example, Holly and Hippogriff talon make for excellent charm work. Your wand just happens to be especially powerful for a much wider variety of subjects. There is almost nothing you couldn't master with that wand, if you are so inclined. Now, I have a few things to discuss with you before I let you retire to your room. Firstly, you are probably curious as to why I had you buy so many books. Even though you will be enrolled in all seventh year classes, you have yet to master the more remedial work.

Therefore, I would like you to receive private tutoring on evenings and weekends until you are caught up. I have already made arrangements with Professor Snape to give you extra lessons on Friday nights, Professor McGonagall can see you on Thursdays, Professor Flitwick can spare some time on Wednesdays, and Professor Sprout can help on Sunday mornings. I have yet to ask Professor Moody…"

At mention of that name Erin gave an involuntary flinch which made Dumbledore pause and raise an eyebrow in her direction. "Is the idea of studying with Professor Moody somehow off-putting for you?"

She flushed once she realized her mistake. Though she would simply love to out the Death Eater in disguise before he had a chance to follow through with his plans, she knew that Dumbledore didn't want her to talk about, let alone alter the future. She knew he could see the internal struggle shining in her eyes and turned her face away. "It's, ah, just that he's very intimidating, isn't he?"

He watched her intently for a moment, and eventually nodded. "I understand. He can be very abrasive at times. Remus, would you be interested in a tutoring position? I believe that a subject as important as defense against the dark arts requires a little more attention, so I would suggest two sessions per week, perhaps on Tuesdays and Saturdays. You would be compensated, of course."

Remus readily agreed, knowing that the compensation would be generous. Besides, the notion of spending more time with the lovely young woman seated next to him was not at all unappealing.

"Good," the headmaster said, clapping his hands together. "That's settled. Now, Erin, I understand how you might feel a little overwhelmed with all of the extra demands I'm placing on you, but I feel that as long as you are here, you might as well be as prepared as possible. Please note that I am not purposefully trying to overburden you and I'm sure that everyone involved will aid you in any way they can. Unfortunately, because this year is already nearly half way done you won't have learned even a fraction of what you should, therefore, if you are still here when this term ends, I would ask that you continue receiving tutoring even after leaving Hogwarts."

Erin nodded slowly in agreement; all the while hoping that her stay in this foreign world would be relatively short lived. It wasn't that she was disinterested in learning magic, quite the opposite, actually. Everything about this world had fascinated her since she had first begun reading the books nearly a decade ago. Until a day ago she would have willingly traded almost anything for the opportunity to visit this fictional world of infinite wonders. Now that she was stuck here, however, all she could think about was being back home with the children she so missed.

"Now," Dumbledore continued. "If you are to be student at this school, you must be sorted into a house. I must admit that I am very curious to see where you will be placed." He made a small gesture and the sorting hat flew from its shelf into his waiting hand. He slowly rose and walked around the desk to her and then gently placed the large aged hat upon her head.

For several seconds nothing happened, and then a deep resonating voice seemed to echo all through her.

"How very interesting," it said in an amused , almost snarky tone. "I don't believe I have ever sorted someone as old as you before. I'm not sure whether this makes my job easier or harder. It is also strange that although I can see that you have the potential to become very powerful, you don't feel as though you belong here. That uncertainty and hesitation will only impede you which is why I shall not suggest Slytherin. You are intelligent, but you do not put much store in your own worth, therefore I do not believe that Ravenclaw would be right for you. You are very loyal and pure of heart, which would make Hufflepuff a decent fit, but there is also much courage and bravery, and a determination to see even the toughest of challenges through to the end which means that I am apt to place you in…Gryffindor!"

"Ah, how very fortuitous!" Dumbledore chuckled as he took the hat from her head and placed it on the desk. "It just so happens that one of our seventh year Gryffindor students has decided not to complete her education in our school and is currently travelling overseas with her family, which means we have a bed available for you in the tower. I will announce to everyone at dinner that you are an American transfer student who has come to us as part of an international exchange program. If anyone asks, you will tell them that until now you have studied at the Salem Academy of Magic. I will give you a book about that school for you to read so that you are not caught off-guard by any unexpected questions. You will be able to move into Gryffindor tower tonight, but I must again request that you not speak openly about who you really are, or about the future."

"It's really hard you know," Erin admitted. "I have information that could really help you and others prepare for the things to come. I could save lives."

Dumbledore sighed deeply. "I know it is tempting, but everything that happens to us does so to shape us into the people we are meant to be. If we have prior knowledge of our hardships and challenges, we might attempt to avoid them or change them, but that might in turn change who we are meant to be."

"Dead people don't have the opportunity to grow and learn," she argued darkly.

"I understand that," he nodded sadly. "However, their deaths affect the people around them and that too can help shape us into the people we are meant to be."

Erin wanted to shout, "…but at what cost?" And then she remembered that she was talking to a person who was a firm believer in such sacrifices being 'for the greater good'. Though the notion that 'the needs of the many outweigh the needs of a few' made her feel helpless and frustrated, she did understand it. Harry Potter was supposed to see Cedric Diggory die so that he could witness firsthand the casual cruelty Voldemort was capable of. Unlike Harry's parents, Cedric was an innocent bystander who was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. There was no need for him to die, but Voldemort might as well have considered him a fly to swat. Harry needed to understand that you didn't have to be an adversary of The Dark lord to suffer his wrath. Voldemert was a threat to everyone, and that knowledge would help to drive Harry to become the savior of the wizarding world.

Since Erin knew that the chain of events to come would shape Harry and push him in the direction he needed to go, she did not argue further even though it was tempting to intervene on behalf of those who would become victims. She swallowed hard and nodded at the headmaster, reluctantly agreeing not to interfere with the future…for now, at least.


	4. Making waves

Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out, but it has been a very, very busy summer.

As always I would like to thank those of you who have read and reviewed this story so far! I loved the comments!

I have to admit, though, that I was hoping for a few more reviews...so **PLEASE**, if you read this story leave a review! I really want to know what you think, and I've found that feedback (particularly the positive feedback) gets the chapters out faster. **So please leave a review!**

Legal side note: I do not own Harry Potter. I am just playing with it.

...

Chapter 4

Erin spent the rest of the afternoon in her room reading the book Dumbledore had given her on the Salem Academy. He planned on introducing her at dinner, and she just knew that the moment she sat down she would be inundated with questions. Thankfully, the history of that school was not terribly extensive as it had only been established in the mid 1600's as opposed to Hogwarts which had been around since the late 900's.

It was an interesting history though, and Erin was glad to have something with which to occupy her mind. If she didn't have this task to help keep her focused her already overburdened brain might have simply fragmented. Even now, if she paused too long in her studying, the plethora of nagging fears, doubts and uncertainties tried to slip into her conscious mind and throw her off balance. What made it worse was the knowledge that soon she was going to have to introduce herself to a whole school of strangers and lie…convincingly.

She had spent some time working over a new back story for herself, which she originally thought to be kind of fun, but which ended up being quite tedious and disappointing. She'd wanted to keep only the most basic information about herself the same, such as her name and birth date. For a while she had been sorely tempted to revert to her maiden name. She chose not to however, as Erin Griever didn't flow nearly as well as Erin Sharp (though it did sum up her life pretty well thus far). She also briefly considered making up a new surname but worried that if called upon she might not respond to it immediately, which would only raise uncomfortable questions.

She had wanted to say that her parents were wealthy muggle socialites, but quickly realized she hadn't the money or clothes to back up that claim. Then she imagined being related to someone historically important, but a simple background check would cut right through that fabrication. She thought up scenario after scenario, but eventually rejected them all for one reason or another. Eventually she gave it up and decided on small half-truths instead.

She would be Erin Sharp: the tragic young orphaned girl who had spent her youth being shuffled from poor relation to poor relation until it was discovered that she possessed the gift of magic. At which time she was approached by a representative of the Salem Academy of Magic who offered her a place at their prestigious school. She had excelled there and as such was chosen to take part in the new foreign exchange program. It seemed plausible enough so long as she could learn magic quickly and proficiently enough as to not make a fool of herself. That worry was just another addition to the growing pile of concerns that nagged at her.

The sun was beginning to dip lower in the sky when Dumbledore finally came for her. The great hall was, to her vast relief, empty as he led her past all of the house tables to one of the antechambers beyond the High table. He walked with purpose giving her very little time to admire the enchanted ceiling, or beautiful architecture of the immense room. As they walked he explained that he would introduce her during his pre-meal announcements, and told her to wait in the room until he called her name. He obviously saw the trepidation and anxiety radiating from her because he gave her a quick pat of encouragement and then hurried away to leave her alone with her mounting doubts and fears.

After only a few minutes of fidgeting she began to pace the floor with the hope of burning off some of her nervous energy. She hadn't yet taken a full turn of the room before a voice rang out making her jump. She thought at first that it was Dumbledore and she had somehow missed her introduction, but she quickly realized that the voice belonged to a female.

"You there!" It called and Erin turned toward the rear of the room. A portrait of a pale, wizened older woman was motioning toward her excitedly, beckoning her closer. "Come here, come here!"

Hesitantly Erin moved forward, but no more than a foot or two. "Yes?" she asked warily.

The woman smiled eagerly and looked Erin over with probing, thoroughly excited eyes. "You must be the mystery girl all the portraits are talking about," She declared happily. "My dear friend who guards Gryffindor tower said she saw you and professor Snape walking down her corridor very late last night. She said that the professor seemed even more surly and suspicious than normal and that he was holding you at wand point! Well, she just loves a bit of intrigue and so she asked around but no one seemed to know who you were. Such a little mystery you are! Anyway, as the news spread many of us spent the day waiting for you to pass by, but you were never alone so no one had the nerve to speak to you. Oh, how jealous they all will be when I tell them that I was the first to talk with you! Now, my dear, will you please tell me who you are, and what you were doing with the professor last night?"

The portrait was talking so fast that it took Erin a moment to catch up to her question. It was blatantly obvious that this gossipy old bitty was Violet, the Fat Lady's confidant and occasional drinking buddy. She also knew that anything said to this particular figure was bound to become widespread chatter amongst the rest of the painted residents and that it would be wise to answer any questions with restraint. Really Erin did not want to respond at all since it sounded like Violet was implying that she had been caught at some outrageous act by the potions master. However, she hated the notion of being the fodder for false gossip and felt a need to confront any rumors head-on.

"Actually, I'm a new transfer student from the Salem Academy," she said, trying to keep the edge of annoyance she felt from showing in her tone. "I arrived very late last night, and professor Snape was kind enough to escort me to Professor Dumbledore's office. Speaking of the headmaster, I really can't chat just now because he's about to announce me and I have to listen for him. Perhaps we can speak later, but for now you'll have to excuse me." With that she turned and walked back to the door which was cracked open just enough for her to peek out into the Great hall.

"Wait!" Violet called, clearly disappointed in the lack of information she had been given, but Erin ignored her and focused her concentration on the large number of students slowly making their way toward their designated tables. There were far more students than she had imagined, and she felt her heart beat faster at the thought of having to stand before them. She had never liked being the center of attention and knew that after tonight she would be a curiosity for more than just a few chattering portraits.

It took several minutes for each of the tables to be filled. From where she was Erin could faintly make out the different color combinations of the four houses, and even the small spattering of blue and red of the Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang students. She had nearly forgotten about those other visiting guests, and fervently hoped that their presence would keep some of the attention off of her. It was unlikely though, as she would probably be an oddity to them as well.

After all of the students were seated she watched with trepidation as Dumbledore approached his podium. A wave of his hand brought silence to the happily rambunctious crowd as everyone focused their attention on him. She felt her blood race as the moment she had been dreading all day finally arrived.

"Good evening to you all!" The headmaster said cheerfully. "Before we partake in another excellent meal, I have a few announcements to make. Firstly, I must again request that the use of any Zonko's or other joke products be kept solely outside the castle walls." He seemed to look directly toward the Gryffindor table as he spoke and she saw two identical red heads give him falsely innocent grins. _The Twins_, she chuckled to herself.

"Secondly, and more excitedly, we will have another special guest staying with us for the remainder of the year. As some of you may know, for many years Hogwarts has, in the spirit of magical unity, sent an open invitation to other magical institutions to take part in a foreign exchange program. Until now the offer has been politely declined. However, over the Christmas holidays I received word from an American institution, the Salem Academy of Magic, that they would like to participate. After much discussion it was agreed that they would send us one of their students shortly after classes resumed. Unfortunately due to unforeseen complications she did not arrive here until late last night. As it is already mid February, she has missed quite a bit of the excitement currently taking place here and I must ask that you display the same courtesy to her that you have offered to our other foreign guests and help to ease her into life at our fine school. Erin, would you join us please?"

Erin closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath. She had to summon every ounce of courage to push open the door and force her reluctant feet forward. The moment she was in view the student body seemed to erupt in a flurry of animated activity. The noise level rose as she made her way across the dais toward the smiling headmaster who greeted her congenially. After a moment he held up another calming hand and the students reluctantly began to settle.

"This lovely young woman is Erin Sharp," he said, giving her a gentle pat on the shoulder. "Erin will be joining us as a seventh year student, and as such will complete her education here at our school. To save time we conducted the sorting last night, and I'm happy to announce that she has been placed in Gryffindor house. I ask the students of that house to treat her with the respect and reserve I know you are capable of." Again he leveled his gaze at the twins, who gave him the same innocuous expressions as before.

"Erin, if you would please join your new house," he motioned her toward the obviously jubilant table of Gryffindors, many of whom were scrambling to make room on the benches so that she would sit by them. She carefully descended the dais and took a seat amongst a group of older looking students who beamed at her as she settled, but before they got out more than a word or two Dumbledore began to speak again.

"To put to rest any concerns our other foreign guests may have, No, the presence of our new student will in no way affect the tournament as it currently stands. She is not here to participate in any events, nor is she allowed to, as the tournament has already begun. She is, along with the rest of the Hogwarts student population, merely an observer and I ask that you too extend her the same respect and courtesy you would any of our students. Now, I believe I can hear the grumbling of many stomachs and so I will not delay the meal any further." With that he clapped his hands and the tables groaned as they were magically loaded with huge portions of steaming food.

Erin didn't realize how hungry she was until the delicious fragrances hit her, but before she could reach out to snag a piece of chicken, several students held out their hands for introduction. She could hear the excited murmurings from nearby and glanced down the table to see every eye on her. Erin swallowed hard and gave a feeble wave before turning back to the food set out before her. It was not to be however, as she was barraged from every side by a never ending volley of questions. She barely had time to answer one before someone asked another.

The interrogation seemed never ending as she answered questions about herself, her school, and her home. They wanted to know all about the differences between magical policy in America and Europe. She could only guess at most of the answers, and prayed that she was right. After what seemed like forever without a single gap in the flow of incoming queries, Erin felt nearly cross-eyed with hunger. She was staring at the food longingly when a strong voice rose up above the din.

"Oi! That's enough!" A female student demanded. "Give the poor girl a few minutes to eat."

The other students reluctantly eased off and Erin flashed her savior an appreciative smile before piling food on her plate and taking several famished bites. It was positively scrumptious and Erin had to force herself to chew slowly so she didn't look as gluttonous as she felt. After several hearty bites she turned back to the girl and offered her hand. "Thanks for that," she smiled shyly. "I was absolutely starving. I'm Erin, by the way."

The girl flashed a bright grin and reached out to shake her hand. "Hello there, Erin. I'm Melody McCarthy, but everyone calls me Mel. I'm a seventh year too, so you'll probably be staying in the empty bed in my dorm. So, what do you think of our school so far?"

Erin shrugged. "I haven't seen all that much of it, but I'm very impressed so far."

"Is it very different from your school?"

"Yes, very," Erin told her, thankful that she had read the book Dumbledore had given her so carefully. "Salem Academy was originally a series of small wooden house-like structures that were built in the middle of a dense forest. As the times changed, and the near-by cities grew bigger they greatly extended it to accommodate the growing population of magic wielders. It is actually very big now because it is the most popular magical school in all of the continental United States and even parts of Canada. Muggles who happen upon it think it's a posh resort."

"Wow! That sounds cool," Melody said thoughtfully. "How many students are there?"

"Nearly ten thousand," Erin said, and when Melody's eyes went wide she added, "But you have to remember that there are a lot more people living in the U.S. and so the odds of having magical offspring is much greater. Also, unlike here where magical families are encouraged to intermarry to continue pure bloodlines, back home there is very little stigma to marrying muggle borns. In fact, finding completely pure blooded families is rather difficult. America is called the melting pot for a reason, you know."

"Ten thousand students," Melody repeated in awe. "What must that be like?"

"Crowded," Erin chuckled.

"Are you divided into houses like we are?" Melody asked, motioning to the students around her, who Erin realized, were captivated by their conversation.

"No, we are divided by age group. Like you, we study magic for seven years. However the ages are generally not mixed. As a seventh year, I shared a dormitory building with about 1300 other seventh years. Our dorms resemble large hotels and there are four people to a room, so mornings can be quite hectic when everyone is trying to use the bathroom, or get down to the dining room to eat. It's always hard to find a seat at meal times. Our classes are held in large, multi-roomed buildings adjoining our dorms. So really, the only time we see the younger students is when we are out on the grounds after classes, on the weekends, or at sporting events." Erin hoped her embellishments were not too far off the mark, but as she had attended college for a short time, she imagined how it might be similar.

"Do you have Quidditch?" A nearby boy asked.

"Yes, but it's not quite as popular as it is here," Erin shrugged, vaguely remembering that piece of information from _Quidditch through the ages_. "We have other sports that are played on brooms as well so students have a few more options on which ones they'd like to participate in." The boy made a disgruntled face as if she'd just personally insulted him, and went back to his meal.

The questions died off as people hurried to finish their dinner before being dismissed. When the empty platters and plates vanished from the table, Melody stood and turned to Erin.

"I can walk you up to the tower if you'd like," she said, motioning for Erin to follow her. Erin cast an uncertain glance toward Dumbledore who appeared in deep conversation with Professor Mcgonagall. She hesitated for a moment, unsure whether or not to ask what she should do next when his eyes shifted to her and he gave a slight nod in Melody's direction. With a shrug Erin got to her feet and slowly followed her new friend past the curiously scrutinizing eyes of the other students and out of the hall.

The corridors were congested with swiftly moving people and Erin had a rather difficult time keeping up with Melody's purposeful gait. Though she knew that way to the tower fairly well, it was still tricky trying to negotiate the large push of bodies and keep pace with someone at the same time and more than once Melody had to pause to allow Erin to catch up.

"Sorry," Erin murmured as she clumsily brushed past the bustling throng of people while hurrying toward Melody who was already waiting for her at the base of the staircase. She was so busy trying not to step on anyone's toes, or fall on her face as she ascended the stairs and stumbled down the corridor that she didn't notice the large queue standing in front of the portrait hole.

With a muffled oath she tried to jerk to a stop just before slamming into the backs of several waiting students. Thankfully she didn't lose her balance as a firm hand suddenly reached out to grab her shoulder, steadying her while she quickly worked to regain her footing. Erin turned to thank her considerate savior but the words died on her lips as, with a shock of recognition, she found herself staring into the bespectacled face of a very familiar character.

"Oh!" she gasped, as she took in his messy dark hair and vivid green eyes. Unintentionally, her gaze shot upward to the lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead. She saw a flash of confusion and exasperation flit across his features as she looked him over and she felt her cheeks redden. Obviously he was used to this sort of reaction from strangers, but he didn't seem to expect it from someone who came from so far away. Worried that she had given something away with her rather obvious display of recognition, Erin dropped her eyes to the floor and quietly thanked him.

Harry shot her an inquisitive look that seemed both bemused and grateful that her reaction toward him hadn't been followed by a barrage of uncomfortable questions. Then he inclined his head slightly and motioned toward the portrait hole, which was now clear. At that moment two more people appeared behind Harry and Erin forced herself to turn and walk away before she openly gawked at the famous trio behind her.

Her mind was marveling at how accurately they had been described in the books. Ron was very tall and gangly with his bright red hair and multitude of freckles. Hermione was pretty, if rather unkempt, with her frizzy brown hair and her arms loaded with books. It appeared as though she had just come from the library, which was likely since the second task was fast approaching and Harry as yet had no idea how to stay underwater for an hour. She considered for an instant just telling him about the gillyweed, but she knew that relaying such crucial information would bring too much suspicion upon her head. After all, she was supposed to be an oblivious foreign exchange student.

"Erin, over here!" Melody called from across the room, effectively pulling her thoughts back to the present.

Erin forced herself to smile at her new companion and began weaving through the mass of lingering students toward her. Melody was sitting in the corner of the room with three other girls who all seemed to be about her age. They each looked her over appraisingly as she approached, and Erin wondered idly what conclusions they had come to when Melody suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her close.

"That was Harry Potter," she said quietly. "Have you heard of him?"

Erin forced herself to shrug indifferently. "The name sounds vaguely familiar," she said with a frown. "Why? Is he famous or something?"

"Yes!" Melody guffawed, and the other three girls snickered openly. "He defeated You-Know-Who when he was just a baby! He's the only person on Earth to ever live through the killing curse."

"You-know-who?" Erin repeated, trying hard to sound oblivious.

"Merlin!" One of the girls gasped, "You've never heard of You-Know-Who?"

Erin rolled her eyes and pulled an ironic face. "Well, with such a memorable and distinct name as _You-Know-Who_, how could I not?"

"He who must not be named?" One of the other girls prompted.

"The Dark Lord?" Another suggested when Erin shrugged again.

"Oh, come off it!" Melody said in exasperation. "You have to have heard of…" She glanced around and her voice dropped to a nearly inaudible whisper, "…Lord Voldemort?"

"Lord Voldemort?" Erin repeated in her normal tone, making all four girls wince and hush her as several other students jerked around to stare in their direction.

"Shhh!" Melody insisted as she waved both hands in a jerky, suppressing sort of way. "You're not supposed to say it out loud!"

"Why not?" Erin laughed.

"Are you serious?" One of the girls gasped, as she gave Erin a thoroughly disbelieving look. "He was only the most evil Dark wizard of all time."

"Okay, so what?" Erin frowned, and then she snapped her fingers as if in a sudden flash of realization. "Oh, wait. I think I remember reading about him in my World history of magic class. But, I still don't get it. Why don't you say his name?"

"He killed hundreds…maybe thousands of people," Melody told her. "He was a truly terrifying Dark Wizard."

"So? He's dead, right?" Erin said bemused. "Why not say his name?"

"We have all been taught to fear that name," One of the girls said seriously. "Nearly everyone in this room lost a relative or loved one during the war against him. That's why we don't say it."

Erin tilted her head as she observed the gravely solemn expressions on each of the girl's faces as they looked at her and she shook her head sadly. "As horrible as that is, showing such reverence to the name of their killer seems oddly inappropriate. If anything, I would think you should spit his name in defiance of what he did, not fear it. Fearing it means that it still holds some sort of power over you. You should rebel against him and people like him, not bow to them."

"We're not bowing to him!" Melody insisted harshly. "We would never do that!"

"Then why not say the name?" Erin shrugged. "Unless you think he deserves your respect…?"

All four girls stared at her openmouthed. While they mulled her words over, Erin glanced up to see several other students gazing at her oddly. Some looked appalled, while others seemed thoughtful. Then she spotted Harry who gave her one solid nod of approval. She smiled meekly at him and then turned back toward the flabbergasted girls.

"So, we haven't been properly introduced," she nodded toward Melody's companions. "I'm Erin Sharp. What are your names? Or can't you say those out loud either?"

There was a pause while they each appeared to scrutinize her thoroughly, then a lovely blond girl stood up so abruptly that Erin nearly flinched for fear that she was going to take a swing at her.

"I'm Jessica Dandridge," The tallest of the three said as she reached out to shake Erin's hand. Erin could still sense the deep scrutiny and confusion in eyes of the other girls as they made their introductions, but as soon as Jessica released her, another girl slowly stood.

"I'm Moira Hartley," The petite brunette said shyly, and then she hesitantly held out her hand for Erin to take. There was almost no pressure behind the other girl's fingers as they briefly rested in Erin's hand, and she wondered if that was the result of deep personal insecurity or if she was just unsure that she should be making the acquaintance of such a bold and opinionated person.

After the small girl backed away, Erin glanced curiously down at the final girl of the group. She was very beautiful, no doubt about that, with her blue cat-like eyes, and shiny auburn hair, but what drew Erin's attention was the look of unabashed dislike that pinched her mouth and made her glare cold and hard.

"Who do you think you are?" she demanded sharply, as she got to her feet and approached Erin menacingly. "You don't know anything about anything and if I were you, I'd keep my damned mouth shut. How dare you come in here and go on like you have any idea what any of us have gone through? You are nobody, and as far as I'm concerned you can just go back to whatever it is you came from!" She flipped her long hair haughtily so that it swung in Erin face, and then she turned and stomped off in the direction of the dorms.

'_Uh, oh'_, Erin thought as she watched her go. It didn't seem wise to have made an enemy so early on, especially when she was supposed to be trying to fit in. A sudden wave of guilt and remorse passed through her as she considered the situation. She honestly hadn't meant to offend anyone, just to help them understand that they were unintentionally showing Voldemort far too much undue respect.

She turned to shoot the other girls an apologetic look, but stopped when she saw the identical expressions of annoyance and exasperation on their faces.

"Don't mind her," Melody said with a scowl. "She's just mad that there's yet _another_ person around to steal her limelight."

"I really didn't mean to offend her," Erin said by way of apology, but Jessica smiled and shook her head.

"It has nothing to do with what you said, and everything to do with the fact that it was _you_ who said it."

"I don't understand," Erin frowned, feeling deeply confused.

All three girls chuckled lightly and then Melody gave a long suffering sigh. "Before Harry Potter started here Brittany was the center of everyone's attention. She was the prettiest most popular person in the whole school. Everyone wanted to be her friend regardless of the fact that she was a huge bitch to most of them. All the boys wanted her and fawned over her. Hell, most still do," She explained lightly, though Erin could detect a trace of jealousy in her tone.

"Then Harry came and her popularity dropped off quite a bit. I mean, he was famous before he ever came here so how could she compete with that? But when it became clear that Harry wasn't trying to usurp her high and mighty position, she decided he wasn't worth her ire, even though she had lost quite a few of her followers. Then the Triwizard tournament began and all of those foreign kids came. You can imagine how much that pissed her off, especially since the Beauxbatons girls are so pretty and mysterious. Her popularity took an even bigger hit then and she's taken it badly, but she figured that they were only a slight annoyance as they spend most of their time with their headmistress in that giant carriage. We really only see them at meals and events, so they aren't that big a worry. You, however, are a real threat to her."

"Why?" Erin asked surprised.

Jessica shot her an incongruous look. "Are you kidding?" She laughed. "Look at you! You are at least as pretty as she is, if not prettier. Plus you're new which means that people are going to be drawn to you like a shiny new toy. Add that to the fact that you are going to be around all the time and share our dorm…well, you can see how she might not take that well. Then, before she can even reassert her place, the first thing you do is show her up with that little speech of yours…you might as well have knocked her out of her chair and declared yourself queen. It was great! I've been waiting ages for someone to take her down a peg or two."

"I-I didn't mean to…" Erin stammered a denial. Crap, she hadn't intended to make waves. What would Dumbledore say when he found out how she had made such a spectacle of herself on her very first day?

Melody made a dismissive gesture. "Unless you bowed down and kissed her ass, there was no chance she was going to like you anyway. My advice is just to ignore her. She certainly won't be pleasant to you, but if you really want to drive her mad, just ignore her attitude. It's what we do."

"But…you're her friends, aren't you?" Erin asked uncertainly. "I don't want to cause trouble between friends."

"We've only ever tolerated her," Jessica shrugged. "It's just been easier to let her think we're part of her clique. Plus, it's been good for our own popularity. But now that you're here, we don't have to pretend anymore."

Erin closed her eyes in horror at what she had done. What if this small incongruity somehow changed the future? It might seem like a small, inconsequential change of events, but she knew that even the smallest interference had the ability alter future things in a big way. Crap. She had to try and find a way to fix this.

"Um, look," she said hesitantly. "I don't want to ruin any friendships, and I'm not out to make enemies. So please, don't stop 'tolerating' her because of me. Also, I have no need or want of an entourage. I would enjoy your friendship if you are willing to give it, but that's all."

"Don't worry," Jessica grinned. "We're not going to start anything with her. We just don't have to put up with her crap anymore."

Erin frowned at the girls. She understood how high-school hierarchy worked having experienced it herself many years before, but even then she thought it was ridiculous. Why would anyone be friends with someone they didn't like all for the residual popularity it brought? She hadn't been part of any one group in school but was one of the lucky few who could flit from one clique to another and be accepted by all. She wasn't the most popular by far, but since everyone liked her, it didn't matter. She had never had to pretend to be something she wasn't and it had been both liberating and empowering.

She wanted to lecture them that it never made sense to pretend to be something you weren't, but she knew how 'mom-ish' it would make her sound. She sighed at the knowledge that she was going to have to be party to all of that ridiculous high-school drama again. It was very disconcerting as she had been happily rid of it more than a decade ago.

"Well, whatever," Erin said a bit edgily. "Do what you want, but don't expect anything extraordinary from me. I've always been happy just being myself."

"That's really cool," Moira giggled. "You are so _cool_."

She looked at Erin with something akin to awe and Erin sighed even deeper. Obviously her declaration had the opposite effect than she had intended. Ah well, at least she wasn't a pariah. Still, she didn't like this new turn of events and decided that a quick retreat was in order.

"Um…Thanks. Anyway, I'm really tired so I think I'm going to go to bed," She gave an exaggerated stretch and yawned widely. "Could someone show me the way to the dorm?"

"Yeah, I'm a bit knackered too," Melody agreed. "C'mon. I'll walk you up."

Together the two of them marched up the small spiraling stairs to the same door Erin had emerged from only the night before. Once inside the circular dormitory Melody pointed toward the exact same bed where her voyage inside the castle had begun. "That's yours," she said.

The bed was the second to the left of the door and she was grateful to notice that it had the room's one large window seat on its right.

"This is my bed," Melody said, motioning toward the canopy to the left of her own which stood next to the door. "Brittany is to your left. Then Moira and Jessica."

Erin cast a glance at Brittany's bed and noted it's fully closed curtains. Either the other girl was already asleep, or she was purposefully avoiding her. She was actually grateful for this because she had no wish for another confrontation this night.

"Anyway, I really am tired so I'm going to shower, change and collapse," Melody told her on a yawn. "Is there anything more you need to know tonight?"

"Yeah,"Erin said quickly. "Where is the bathroom?"

Melody chuckled and smacked herself on the forehead. "I forgot to show you. It's the first door from the bottom of the stairs. It really sucks having to trudge all the way down there in the middle of the night when you're half asleep, but there it is. Oh, and here's some advice; get up early if you want to shower in the morning, otherwise you'll be waiting in a ridiculously long queue. If you want to have any time for breakfast, you'd be wise to shower before bed."

Erin nodded and watched Melody open the large trunk at the foot of her bed and pull out her pajamas. She glanced at her own bed and noticed for the first time that there was a similar trunk at the foot of her own bed. After waving goodnight to Melody, she opened it and found the uniforms she had ordered that very morning folded neatly at the bottom with her nightgown laying clean and perfect at the top. Her wand box was also in the trunk along with the pouch that held the myriad of books and supplies she had purchased in Diagon Alley. A scroll bearing the words, 'Daily schedule of classes' was sitting on the pouch.

Erin picked up the scroll and unrolled it with a feeling of great trepidation. As expected her days looked to be packed full. On Mondays she had charms, transfiguration, and astronomy. It was the only day where she didn't have tutoring on top of her regular classes.

Tuesday was a bit more hectic with herbology, potions, and defense against the dark arts followed after dinner with her first defense against the dark arts tutoring session. Wednesday was just as busy with muggle studies, double charms, and history of magic then more charms for tutoring. Thursday was all transfiguration with a double class in the afternoon and tutoring in the evening. And finally Friday had defense against the dark arts again, and then double potions followed by potions tutoring. At the bottom of the scroll was a notation that she had another defense tutoring class on Saturday night after dinner and herbology on Sunday just after breakfast.

As she grimaced down at the paper, Erin wondered when she would have time to do the mountain of homework she would be expected to complete. She also wondered when she would have any down time because with the exception of the single free period she had on Thursday morning, nearly every second of her day seemed completely filled with school work.

With a disgruntled grumble she tossed the scroll back into the trunk and grabbed her nightgown. She was so tired and didn't even have the energy to shower. Instead, she changed as quickly as possible and crawled into the soft bed; yanking the curtains closed behind her. It took only moments for her overburdened, purely exhausted brain to shut down. Unfortunately it didn't remain that way for very long.

Now that you've read it, **Review it**!


	5. A helping hand

Thanks for reading this story so far, and being patient with the long wait in between chapters.

I want to extend my sincerest thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed so far. Most especially to Archies Breezy Privates. Your review was very sweet and left me blushing for hours! Thank you so much!

Just a reminder that I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters therein. Only Erin and this variation of events are mine.

So, on to the story!

...

Chapter 5

Erin felt like she was trapped in neck-deep, sweltering hot quick sand and no matter how hard she fought, she could not get out. Fear and panic welled up as she struggled, but it was hard to breathe and her limbs were trapped tight against her body. She tried to scream, but when she opened her mouth thick mud rushed in, suffocating her.

She came awake with a jolt and many things became obvious at once. The quicksand was actually just the bed clothes which were wrapped like a cocoon around her, constricting her. The suffocating mud was really just the too soft feather pillow which was pressed right against her face. The insufferable heat, however, was too real. Erin had no idea what time it was, but the near complete lack of light gave credence to the fact that it was the middle of the night. From the state of her situation, she could tell that it had been a rough few hours. It wasn't too surprising. Generally whenever she got overly warm in the night she would kick and push the covers away, but apparently she was thrashing around a bit too much to dislodge them this time.

Struggling against her confinement, she fervently hoped that once her body touched open air that the sweltering heat would diminish. It took several moments of frantic wiggling, but she eventually got free. It didn't help. It was still too damned hot. She thought perhaps if she opened the bed curtains that some cool air would rush in and ease her discomfort, but not even that worked. She listened to the soft breaths and occasional snores of her neighbors for a while as she tried to ignore the sweat that continued to dampen her body and mat her hair, but with each passing minute her distress grew. Finally in a last ditch effort she slid out of bed and curled up on the window seat to open the panel a few inches.

At once cold February air enveloped her; cooling her hot skin and quickly dissipating the horrid enclosed feeling that had weighed on her. Erin would never admit to being claustrophobic, but when conditions were right, she would feel the press of a room like iron bands around her body trying to squeeze the life out of her. Generally it took only one thing to make her begin to feel like that. Why did they have to keep these dorms so damned warm? How was it even possible to make a castle this stifling in the middle of winter? There was only one small heater lit and it was burning sluggishly. It shouldn't make her feel like she was sitting inside a volcano.

At home Erin kept the house at a cool sixty-eight degrees in the winter, and a comfortable seventy-four in the summer. There was nothing more disconcerting to her than to be overly hot and she avoided it at all costs. How could these kids sleep when it was so freaking hot?

With a sigh she leaned her head against the cold glass and allowed the gentle winter breeze to wash over her. Despite the hard, lumpy stones behind her back, she felt herself begin to drift off again. She was nearly asleep when the sharp sound of curtains being thrown back jarred her awake again.

"Are you trying to freeze me out?" Brittany hissed as she glared at Erin. "Close the damned window!"

"Sorry," Erin frowned. "I was…"

"I don't give a flying fart what you were doing!" Brittany snarled menacingly, cutting her off. "Close the window!"

Not wanting to cause any more trouble than she already had, Erin sighed deeply and then pulled the window shut. Almost instantly the oppressive heat swamped her again and she ran a sticky hand through her sweat matted hair. Brittany glared at her a moment longer before sniffing contemptuously and jerking her curtains closed again.

Erin tried going back to bed, but it was pointless. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't ignore the heat long enough to get comfortable. One last idea occurred to her, and though she didn't much care for it, she grabbed her pillow and quietly crept out of the room.

The common room, as she had hoped, was deserted at this hour though the fire was still lit and burning brightly at the far end of the room. She opened two windows as wide as they could go, then with a huff of exhaustion she threw down her pillow and collapsed upon the aged, yet still comfortable couch. It was bliss.

Once again she felt the eager pull of sleep, but a light clicking noise broke into her near slumber and far too quickly the coolness of the room faded as the heat enveloped her body again.

Erin turned her head and gasped as she found herself staring into the large, wide eyes of a house elf.

"You're not Tilly," she said, as she pushed herself up wearily.

"No, Miss," the elf squeaked. "Is Tilly needed? Dobby can call her for you."

"Dobby?" Erin said in surprise. And looking closer she noticed the small stack of wobbling knitted hats balanced on his head.

"Yes," he smiled happily. "Does Miss need anything?"

"No, I'm good," she slowly grinned back. "Um, my name's Erin Sharp. It's a pleasure to meet you, Dobby." She held out her hand and the elf stared at it as though she were offing him a bag of riches. Slowly, hesitantly, he took it in his own larger one and gave it a quick shake.

"Is Miss Erin Sharp sure she does not need anything?" Dobby asked again with something akin to adoration in his large eyes. "Dobby can get food, or drink or…why Does Erin Sharp sleep in the common room? Is there a problem with the dormitory?"

"I was hot," she shrugged. "Why do they keep it so warm here at night?"

"Climate charms are used within Hogwarts castle to keep it cool when it is warm and warm when it is cold," he told her. "It is colder at night, and the charms adjust to that. Dobby is sorry if it is too warm, but Dobby can help."

He stepped forward and waved his hands in a complicated pattern over her. Instantly Erin felt her skin cool and the lingering sweat evaporated to leave her feeling refreshed and comfortable. She breathed a sigh of relief at the respite it brought.

"Thank you," she grinned. "Thank you so much."

He looked at the floor as he shuffled his feet bashfully. "It is the duty of the house elf to see to the comfort of his masters."

"I am not your master, Dobby," she corrected gently. "However, I would like to be your friend. Is there anything you need help with?"

He started to shake his head, to give her a vehement and resounding 'NO', but then he paused and gave her a thoughtful look. "It would be wrong of Dobby to ask his masters for help."

"What is it, Dobby?" she insisted. It was obvious there was something on his mind, and if he needed her, she most certainly wanted to help him.

He seemed to study her with his large eyes before coming to a decision. "Erin sharp is a very kind witch," he said. "And, Harry Potter is the greatest wizard Dobby has ever known. Harry Potter is Dobby's friend, and Dobby is very worried for him."

Erin frowned. "Why are you worried? Oh, wait…is this about the tournament?"

The elf nodded vigorously. "Dobby has seen Harry Potter awake late at night. Harry Potter has been trying very hard to figure out his second task and Dobby wants to help. Harry Potter only has one more day to find the answer and time is running out."

"I see," Erin said, sympathetically. "Oh!" she gasped a little louder when what he said really sank in. The events of the book came back to her in a flash. In the story it was Dobby who gave Harry the gillyweed on the morning of the task. She had always thought that he had gotten the idea from the false professor Moody, but would it really matter if someone else helped so long as the outcome stayed the same? "Dobby, what is the second task?"

"Harry Potter must go into the Black Lake and bring back his stolen wheezy," Dobby said sadly. "Harry Potter has only one hour to find his wheezy, but how can anyone breathe underwater for so long?"

"Breathing underwater could be a problem," Erin agreed slowly. "It's too bad he doesn't have any gillyweed."

"What is gillyweed?" the elf asked curiously.

"It's an ingredient used in advanced potions. If it is eaten whole it gives the user gills like a fish so they can breathe water. I'm not exactly sure how long the effect lasts, but it could be long enough. I don't know where Harry could get any though…"

"It is a potion ingredient?" Dobby squeaked. His forlorn expression morphed as Erin watched and she could see the excitement building in his huge eyes. "Dobby knows where some might be!"

"Hold on now, Dobby," Erin cautioned. "I thought Harry was supposed to figure the solution out on his own. I know you want to help, but you shouldn't break the rules. Give Harry a little more time to find the answer himself, and if he still hasn't gotten it by the day of the task, then perhaps you can help him."

Dobby seemed to droop slightly at that, but he nodded in understanding. He gave her a sweet, shy smile. "Erin Sharp has helped Dobby greatly, and Dobby will never forget her kindness."

Erin chuckled lightly. "You helped me first," she reminded him. "One good deed deserves another." By now it was very late and the exhaustion that had weighed on her all day finally began to overtake her. "Well, I'd love to chat with you some more, but I'm so tired I can barely keep my eyes open."

"Of course," Dobby nodded. "Erin Sharp must call on Dobby whenever she needs anything and Dobby will come if he can."

"Thanks, Dobby," Erin yawned as she scooped up her pillow and trudged back toward the stairs. "Goodnight."

To her relief Erin slept well for the rest of the night. After showering and dressing as quickly as possible, she ran down to the great hall for a quick breakfast before hurrying off to her very first day of classes. By dinner that night she felt completely drained. It had been a long time since she had been in school and her overworked mind was absolutely reeling with all she had learned.

….

The second task of the tournament took place the following morning. To her relief everything occurred just as it was supposed to. After the task was over she returned to the tower with Melody who kept chatting happily about the events they had just witnessed. Eventually the conversation switched gears.

"So, there's a Hogsmeade weekend coming up next Saturday," Melody said cheerfully. "Are you going to go? You can come with me and the girls and we'll show you around."

"Sounds good," Erin shrugged. "I need to get a few things, and I'm curious about the village anyway."

They made plans to visit several of the shops and then parted ways to get started on their homework. It was then that a thought occurred to Erin. According to the book, after Harry completed the second task there was a Hogsmeade visit. It was during this visit that he, Ron, and Hermione met with Sirius in the cave. As she recalled, he had been there for some time with only scraps and rats to eat. That meant he was probably either already there, or he was on his way.

The thought of him having to endure such pitiful squalor made her stomach lurch. Hadn't he been through enough while in Azkaban? There must be something she could do for him. Erin spent the remainder of the night puzzling things over but no satisfactory ideas came to her.

The rest of the week kept her so busy she hardly had time to do anything else but the mounds of work she was continuously given. Time seemed to pass in a blur and though it was often very hard, she found she enjoyed the work. Everything she learned amazed her, especially when she discovered she had a talent for most of it. During tutoring all of the teachers were patient with her, including Snape who actually took the time to explain each potion and how to prepare each one perfectly, instead of just writing down the directions and ignoring her as he did during regular classes.

After the first full week she decided that she much preferred tutoring to her normal classes as it gave her so much more one-on-one time with the professors to learn the magic properly. Of course, out of all of them she loved Defense against the dark arts best. The topic was both extremely interesting and hands-on, and Remus was by far the sweetest, most understanding of anyone else she worked with. Although, there were times when working so closely with him proved to be problematic.

On the third night of Defense tutoring Remus was waiting for her as usual in an unused classroom on the seventh floor. The first thing Erin noticed was that instead of his normal calm, and collected self he seemed a little anxious and manic. His energy level was much higher than before, almost as if he had thrown back two double espressos just before arriving at the castle. But the strangest thing was the way his expressions and body language would change from one moment to the next.

Within the first thirty minutes of the lesson he seemed to go from perfectly happy to abruptly depressed at least twice only to bounce back again. There was even one point when he seemed near panic as his eyes raked the room before settling apprehensively on the windows where he would seemingly stare at nothing for a moment before returning to the lesson as if nothing had happened.

Near the end of the lesson he came to stand next to her to display proper wand movement for the jinx he was teaching her. It was a complex series of arm swishes and whole body dips and twists that had to be preformed just right for a full strength spell. It was very rigorous and after three failed attempts he decided to change tactics.

Tucking his wand into his robes he positioned himself behind her and took hold of both her wrists. "Just relax your muscles a bit and follow my lead." With that he brought her arms up forcing her back to arch against him, and then he pushed her body forward so that she was slightly bent at the waist with her wand arm extended out in front of her. She knew from watching him that the next step was a half side-twist, but he suddenly seemed frozen behind her.

Several seconds passed and he was still motionless with his body pressed firmly against hers. Erin began to turn and ask what was wrong, but before she could so much as move her head she felt his hot breath against the nape of her neck. Time seemed to slow as he pressed his face closer to the pulse in her throat and then he took a deep, lingering breath. Before that moment Erin was able to compartmentalize the undeniable attraction she felt toward this terribly handsome and tragic man but as he breathed in her scent she felt her heart speed up and goose bumps rise on her skin.

"Um…p-professor?" she whispered slowly, almost afraid to move.

At once she felt him stiffen and then before she could open her mouth again he had dropped her arms and darted to the other side of the room. Erin straightened up and gave him a curious look. His face was flushed and he was panting as though he had just run a lap around the whole school.

"Are you okay?"

"I think we need to end our lesson here," he said gruffly. "Really, I ought not to have come tonight, but I didn't want to skip out on you this early on in your tutoring." He blanched as he spoke and she watched as several emotions passed across his features. There was remorse, and guilt, self loathing and…hunger.

"Please believe me when I say that I am horrendously sorry for my behavior just now. I should have known better than to test my limits with you this close to the change." He dragged a shaking hand through his hair and let out a scoff of disgust. "The full moon is in two days and when it is so close people with my…condition…sometimes find themselves acting more animal than human. I know there is no excuse for my behavior and I will completely understand if you wish to be taught by someone else from now on."

She smiled and shook her head at him. So _that_ explained all of his odd behaviors tonight. She had nearly forgotten that he was anything but human and when the realization hit, she felt like a fool. "Don't be silly," she said, rolling her eyes. "I'm not going to blame you for something you didn't ask for and can't control. I have always known what you are and I don't have a problem with it at all. As for tonight, well…Now we know our limits so we can avoid such awkward situations from now on."

He gave her a wan smile of gratitude and turned away to gather up his books. As Erin was packing up her own things a thought occurred to her.

"Um…Professor?" She said, hesitantly. "Can I get your opinion on something?"

Remus glanced back up at her and nodded once. "Of course, and as I've said before, I am not officially a professor anymore. Please, call me Remus."

"Right," Erin smiled. "Remus, what would you say if I told you I knew where Sirius Black was at this very moment?"

He dropped a bottle of ink which splattered all over the floor as he stared at her in surprise. "That depends," he said with a slight frown. "_Do_ you know where he is?"

She gave a quick nod. "Yes, I do. And I also know that he is altogether hungry, filthy, and lonely. I want to help him, but he doesn't know anything about me and I'm afraid that if I send him food, or go visit him that he'll freak out and run."

"Wait," Remus said, shaking his head in confusion. "How can you visit him? Is he close by?"

"He's staying in a cave just beyond Hogsmeade," Erin explained. "Harry and his friends are going to meet with him on Saturday."

"Oh," he said, obviously dumbstruck.

"Yeah," she nodded. "Anyway, I was thinking of following them, and then after they leave, I thought I would introduce myself and give him some food and other essentials. However, as I said, I don't want to scare him off, or accidentally get myself attacked or memory charmed. So, I thought if you went with me, that you could vouch for me, and that way he would accept my help."

"This Saturday?" he asked warily. "That will be tough. I'm not sure I'll be fully recovered by then. Generally I need more than two days to recuperate after a transformation. Often it takes the better part of a week before I can function again." He paused and looked thoughtful for several seconds. "I don't suppose you would wait a few more days?"

"I can't," she shrugged. "This will be the last Hogsmeade visit for several weeks and I can't stand the thought of him suffering all that time."

Remus sighed deeply. "Me either, but you're right. If you went alone he might react badly. He probably wouldn't hurt you physically…in fact I'm sure he wouldn't. However, I can't be sure that he wouldn't run off or attempt to alter your memory." He went silent as he pondered the situation. Finally he nodded to himself and turned back to face her.

"Okay, I'll try to meet you there. I can't promise anything, but I'll try. In lieu of that, I'll write him a letter explaining who you are. I don't think I should send an owl ahead because he might assume that if I could locate him that the Ministry could too which will only make him nervous. Hopefully my letter will be enough to gain his assurances. Still, I am worried about his reaction to you. Sirius was never what anyone would call, 'levelheaded'. He has always been one to react first and think later."

After he finished speaking, Remus mended his ink bottle, then pulled out a clean scroll of parchment and began writing. Erin watched as he filled nearly half of the paper with his compact, tidy scrawl before signing it with a flourish and handing it to her. "If I am able, I will meet you in Hogsmeade hopefully no later than four o'clock. If not, then you give Sirius that letter. It should be enough to vouch for you."

….

By early Saturday morning Erin's head was so full she thought it might explode. It was strange though; she found that as overwhelming as the piles of work were, she was exited to learn more. Not only that, but she was _good_ at it. All of the professors who tutored her were amazed that someone who was previously unaware that there was actually such a thing as magic could excel so quickly at it.

Erin was just glad that she hadn't yet caused any major magical catastrophes. She had been so nervous at first that she would accidentally blow something up, or hurt someone that she had shied away from participating in class. Most of the professors allowed this, as they knew the truth about her, but the false professor Moody was another story. He seemed very curious about her and often called on her in his classes even when she was trying to avoid attention.

She found that she couldn't meet his eyes without feeling deep anger and disgust churning in her gut. She tried not to let those dark emotions show on her face, but she knew the effort wasn't always successful when he would frown and arch an eyebrow in her direction.

His classes were by far the most challenging when it came to wand work, as the false Moody loved to ambush his students with various dark arts spells just to see how they would react. Thankfully, all of the crazy studying and tutoring had helped Erin at least appear competent in his classes. Still, she knew she would have to be very careful around him lest he suspect she was anything more than what she claimed to be.

As the large clock began to chime the noonday hour, Erin made her way down to the entrance hall where she was to meet up with Melody and the girls. She had promised them that she would hang out until half past three, but said that she had somewhere to be after that. They had assumed she had a date and tried to grill the boy's name out of her, but she only smiled and shook her head.

"So, what do you want to do first?" Melody asked her as they headed out toward the village.

Erin shrugged. "The only thing I really need to do is visit a clothing store, so as long as I do that at some point, I don't care."

The notion of buying new clothes appealed to the teenaged female gaggle and they quickly made their way over the snow strewn grounds. When the tiny village appeared in the distance Erin couldn't help but smile. It looked exactly the way she'd pictured it; with its quaint little shops and old world atmosphere.

Gladrags Wizardwear was on the other end of the village, which meant they would have to backtrack to visit the other shops everyone wanted to explore. This was fine with Erin since she knew that Sirius would be meeting the trio in front of the three broomsticks which was closer to the train station nearer the school. She also hoped that the more popular stores would be slightly less busy by the time they were finished clothes shopping. A quick glance through the windows of Zonko's and Honeydukes was enough to make her feel claustrophobic as they were literally jam-packed with frenzied customers.

Thankfully, Gladrags was only slightly busy as they entered and began perusing the large selections of both wizard and muggle clothes. There was so great a selection that it was nearly one o'clock when Erin and the others left the clothing store with their arms laden with bags. She had managed to compile an entire wardrobe of new clothes which was a great relief as she was tired of having to wear her uniform all the time. And, again she was surprised when the small pouch of money Dumbledore had given her refilled allowing her to pay for everything without difficulty.

Once back on the street they stopped at Zonko's and Honeydukes in turn. Erin decided to use her money sparingly on these non-essentials and only bought a handful of toys and treats from each shop. One thing she did get was a large picnic basket which drew a few funny looks from her friends but they merely shrugged and didn't question her about it.

Finally as three o'clock passed they made their way into the Three Broomsticks. It was there that Erin ordered her first of several butterbeers. It was an amazing beverage which combined the delightful tang and fizz of root beer, and the sweet creaminess of butterscotch. Though she could detect a slight bitter edge of alcohol, it was not enough to detract from the general deliciousness of the drink, nor was it enough so cause more than mild warmth and a sense of relaxation which was greatly appreciated considering the task ahead.

At three-thirty Erin and the girls bid each other farewell and parted ways. Erin made sure that the others were well on their way back to the school before sneaking back into the pub to order a large supply of food. Once it was packaged and ready she carefully placed it into the basket along with the fluffy blanket she had snuck out of the dorms in the magic pouch Remus had given her which now also housed all of her day's purchases as well as some other care items for Sirius.

When she was ready she took a seat on a bench outside to wait for Remus. Time seemed to slow as she looked at the clock outside the train station. She frowned when she realized it was only a quarter to four. Her stomach growled then and she mentally kicked herself for not eating when she had had the chance. Casting a sidelong glance at the basket she shrugged and reached in to pull out a thick piece of jerked beef. It was delicious, but rather hard to chew and after only a few bites she gave up and went to throw it away. However, as she looked around for a garbage bin a small whine stopped her.

Erin nearly gasped when she turned to find a large shaggy black dog sitting a few feet from her bench. He was eyeing the meat in her hand longingly and every few seconds his tail gave a feeble wag. The poor thing looked absolutely ragged with its filthy matted fur and half-starved physique. Her heart broke for it and she couldn't repress her tender, sympathetic smile.

"Hello, big doggie," she called gently, making sure to keep her voice soft and cajoling. "Do you want this?" She held out the meat toward the still whimpering dog.

With hesitant, jerking movements the dog slowly got to his feet and inched toward her as if she might, at any second, slap him away or begin screaming. She expected him to snatch the food from her hand and scamper off, but his slow speed never changed as he gently grasped the meat with his teeth and practically swallowed the whole piece in one bite. After he was done eating, the dog's tongue rolled out to hang haphazardly from the side of his mouth and his tail began to wag non-stop as he stared at her.

"What?" Erin laughed at the silly, playful expression on his face. "I have nothing else for you."

He whined once more and then slowly moved closer to her to lay his head on her knee and stare up at her with his large soulful eyes. "Oh," Erin giggled. "I see." She gently patted him on the head and then scratched behind his floppy ears. He closed his eyes as if relishing the sensation, and perhaps he was. "You're quite a flirt, aren't you, doggie?" she asked with another giggle. He huffed once as if in reply and then whined when she went to pull her hand away. Erin laughed loudly and resumed her scratching until a voice rang out, distracting her.

"Snuffles?" It called, and Erin glanced up to see Harry, Hermione and Ron approaching. The dog's head instantly came up and he bounded happily in the direction of the trio. Erin smiled knowingly to herself. She had suspected the dog was more than what he seemed, but of course she had kept it to herself. Harry sent her a shy smile as he bent down to whisper to the dog and she nodded politely and watched as the four of them made their way toward the opposite end of the village and beyond. A glance at the clock told her it was already fifteen minutes after four. If she waited any longer for Remus she might lose them and end up spending all night searching the mountain side for the right cave. With a shrug and a sigh she stood up and slowly went after them.

She watched from a distance as the small group ascended the mountain side and disappeared into a small opening hidden along the face. Erin found a well covered space nearby and ducked out of sight to wait. Her muscles began to cramp as she watched the cave opening and finally, nearly an hour after arriving, the trio with the back dog in tow exited and made their way back down to the village. Once they were out of sight, Erin got up and snuck into the cave.

The space was bigger on the inside than it had seemed, but not by much. Something large stirred at the back of the area and the great hippogriff raised its head and glanced at her with seeming indifference. Erin immediately bowed low and waited with hesitation as the bird-like creature gave her a lazy nod and went back to napping. Once it seemed safe she went further into the cave and found a blunted stalagmite to sit on.

She felt her nerves twinge uncomfortably as the minutes passed. And when she heard the click of paws on the stones outside her heart began to pound. How would he react to her? What would he do? Erin held herself still as the shaggy black dog appeared at the mouth of the cave and shook himself vigorously to rid his fur of excess snow and sleet. When he was done he sniffed loudly and she watched his head jerk up in her direction. He seemed perfectly stunned to find an intruder in his hidey-hole and for a moment he simply stared at her.

"Um, h-hello," Erin said quickly, her voice a bit higher than she liked. "My name is Erin Sharp. We met earlier…outside of the Three Broomsticks? I gave you some jerky, remember?" The dog seemed to contemplate her, but thankfully he hadn't gone on the offensive yet. Still the hardest part to explain was yet to come.

"Right, well…um…I brought some things for you," she motioned toward the basket. "But first, perhaps I should give you this." She reached into her robes and pulled out Remus' letter. She unfolded it and smoothed it flat before inching slowly toward him and laying it at his feet. He watched her progress with wide, confused eyes. After she had backed away, he dropped his head to stare at the paper.

Erin waited and watched as he seemingly read the letter. When he was done he brought his head back up and fixed his gaze of her again. For the longest time nothing happened and then he slowly moved to the other side of the area and grabbed up a set of robes with his teeth. Never taking his eyes from her he inched backward out of the cave. A moment later Sirius the man emerged with his wand held tight in his hand. Erin's stomach plummeted as he raised it and pointed it straight at her heart.

For the longest time he said nothing and Erin's mouth was too dry to allow her to speak. Finally he nodded to the letter on the ground. "Who gave that to you?" he demanded.

She cleared her throat to make sure her voice was still there before answering. "My Defense against the Dark Arts tutor, Remus Lupin, gave it to me."

"Why?"

"I-I asked him to," she said simply.

This was apparently not the answer he wanted and she saw a flash of anger and impatience pass across his features. "Who are you, and how did you know where to find me?" he snarled. "Are you with the ministry?"

"NO!" Erin denied sharply. "I'm not here to hurt you or turn you in. I only want to help you."

"You haven't answered my question," he hissed, advancing on her slightly and making her cringe back. "Who are you and how did you know where to find me?"

"Who I am is complicated…" she began, but he stepped forward again menacingly and Erin felt herself begin to tremble with fear.

"Please," she whimpered. "I'm trying to explain. Now, I know that Remus gave a summary of my unusual circumstances in his letter, but let me elaborate. I know it will be hard to believe, but it's all true, I swear!"

She quickly told him the story of who she was and all about the events that had befallen her since waking up this magical world. "So, you see…to me this is all a work of fiction. I knew where you were because it was in the books. I also knew how miserable you were and I couldn't sit idly by and allow it when I could do something about it. That's why I took the chance and came here to meet you."

She saw the disbelief in his eyes and waited anxiously for him to stun her or worse. Finally to her relief he seemed to relax a bit.

"How can I believe your story?" he snorted derisively. "It's total madness."

"I agree," she shrugged lightly. "But that doesn't change the fact that it is the truth. I can prove it if you like. That's what professor Dumbledore had me do. He had me tell him things about himself that only someone completely knowledgeable about this world would know."

"And he believed you?" Sirius frowned. "Remus and Snape believe you as well?"

"I doubt that Remus would have vouched for me if he didn't."

Sirius nodded and to her great relief he lowered his wand. "Have a seat," he nodded toward the stalagmite. "Let's see what you know."

Once she was situated he came to stand across from her. "What house was I in while at Hogwarts?" He asked without preamble.

"Gryffindor," she responded instantly.

"What did my friends and I call ourselves?"

"You were the Marauders," Erin told him. "You were called Padfoot because you transform into a dog. James was Prongs because he became a stag, and Peter was wormtail because he was a rat. Remus was Moony because he is a werewolf, which is why you all learned to become animagi in the first place – so he wouldn't have to be alone when he transformed each month. Together you created the Marauders map which is now in Harry's possession. Harry is the son of your best friend James and his wife Lily. You are his godfather."

Sirius seemed impressed with her knowledge but still unsure. "Who was the Potter's secret keeper?"

"You were supposed to be the one, but you knew that as their closest friend you were the one everyone would suspect. In order to better protect them you asked Dumbledore to make Peter their secret keeper instead. At the time you thought he was the safest bet because no one would suspect him. You believed that there was a spy in the order and you mistakenly suspected that it was Remus which is why you didn't tell him what you were doing. Sadly, you thought wrong. Peter was the spy and he led Voldemort straight to them. When you confronted Peter, he blew up a street full of muggles and faked his own death…pinning the whole thing on you. You were sent to Azkaban while he transformed into a rat and was adopted by the Weasley family as a cherished family pet."

Sirius chuckled as she came to a stop. "I guess you do know a bit about me. This is truly unbelievable. So, if you really are what you say you are, how about you tell me about my future now? Will I ever get my revenge?"

Erin blanched. "I-I can't. I promised Dumbledore that I wouldn't talk about the future. He's afraid that I might inadvertently change things and interfere with events that need to take place. If I warn everyone about what's to come I might alter the timeline in a devastating way. I'm sorry."

Sirius frowned at her. "I guess that makes sense," he shrugged. "Well, you seem to know the truth about me, so I suppose I can give you the benefit of the doubt. I have to know, though. Have you told anyone besides Remus that I am here?"

Erin shook her head. "No, only Harry, Ron, Hermione, Remus and I know…although it's likely that Dumbledore knows as well. He seems to be well informed about nearly everything, doesn't he?"

Sirius laughed loudly at that. "Yes, he does. So, you said you brought me some stuff?"

"Right," Erin smiled as she reached down for the basket. "There is about two days worth of food and drink in there along with a nice warm blanket. I also have a pillow for you…" she pulled out her magical pouch and reached in to feel around for the soft feather pillow. She saw the longing in his eyes as she handed it to him. It must have been terrible for him sleeping on the cold, hard ground all this time and she was glad to give him some relief. If only she had been able to bring him a mattress as well...

"Thank you," he said and she saw the stark emotion in his face. It made her heart clench to see the desperation in his eyes. He looked so sad, and lonely not to mention filthy.

"I also brought you a change of clothes, a portable washtub, and some soaps," she said, reaching into the pouch again. "You can cast an enlarging charm on the tub to take actual baths if you like." He snatched the items out of her hands with excited fervor. She couldn't blame him. If she were in his shoes she'd be desperate for a bath. To her, being filthy was one of the worst sensations in the world though she suspected that living in Azkaban for twelve years might have desensitized him a bit.

"Anyway, that's all I could think of. I can send you more food in a few days and if you need anything else just send a message back to me and I'll try and get whatever you need."

"This is wonderful," he practically gushed. "I can't thank you enough."

"It's no problem," Erin blushed. "I just wish I could do more."

Sirius shook his head. "You've done more than enough. I am a stranger to you, and yet you've gone this far out of your way to try and make me more comfortable. You have my eternal gratitude and I hope that I can repay you one day."

Erin waved his words away, and flashed him a shy smile. "It's nothing, really. Anyway, it's getting late and I should get back. I don't want to get locked out of the castle. Perhaps, if you don't mind, I can visit longer during our next Hogsmeade visit. I'd love to really chat with you." She almost said, "You're one of my favorite characters," but she didn't want to insult him.

"I would like that," he smiled brightly and her breath caught in her throat. Even though he currently appeared haggard and worn, when he smiled it lit up his face and returned some of the devastating good looks she had only read about. She itched to see him clean and in good health because she just knew he would be impossibly, ridiculously handsome.

Erin felt her body begin to react to the man before her and she suddenly jerked to her feet in an attempt to escape before she made a complete fool of herself. "It was nice meeting you," she called as she quickly made for the exit.

"Erin, wait!" Sirius shouted before she had taken more than a few steps.

She swung around and watched him amble to his feet. His smile was pleasant as he reached her and to her great surprise and delight, he bent and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. Instantly blood flooded across her skin making her whole body go red. She ducked her head in an attempt to hide her reaction, but it was impossible for him to miss it. She heard him chuckle again, and she went even redder.

"Thank you, Erin," he murmured gently. "I hope to hear from you soon."

"O-okay," she nodded. "Take care of yourself, and I'll be in touch." With that she practically sprinted from the cave and down toward the now-darkened village.

Sirius watched the lovely stranger as she hurried away toward the safety and comfort of the grand castle in the distance. She was an oddity, for sure, but a pleasant one. It both boggled and delighted him that a total stranger could be so concerned about the well-being of someone like him. It was even more amazing that she was so beautiful and yet so giving. In his experience pretty girls tended to be shallow and self-involved – the only exception being Lily though she possessed the temper of a riled jungle cat at times. He wanted to know more about this mysterious woman/child and he had to admit that he was looking forward to her return.

"I'll be waiting," he murmured as he watched the darkness of the brisk winter evening envelop her.

...

Please review!


	6. Gifts from the heart

Hi everyone! I am so sorry for the long delay in getting this chapter out. Honestly, my life has been a roller coaster lately and my time has been occupied with many annoying, but important distractions. Still, this story has been nagging at me to write it. This chapter was rather rushed and does not involve many canon characters, but it is important information for later chapters (if everything works out the way I imagine...you know how these things go ;). Anyway, please forgive my tardiness with this chapter and the slow story progression. I promise that things are about to move along quite a bit in the next few chapters.

Please read and review!

...

Chapter 6

The following morning after breakfast and Herbology tutoring Erin decided to wander around the nearly deserted castle for a while. There had been a small break in the weather and the student population was taking the opportunity to carouse and mingle out on the grounds in the mild sunlight.

In the short weeks that Erin had been attending Hogwarts she had had almost no free time to explore the grand castle. Today, however, she had very little homework left to do and nothing else to demand her time so she decided to see the sights. She started out by visiting the kitchens. The house elves greeted her cheerfully and tried to press loads of food and treats on her regardless of her protests. Eventually she allowed them to pack her a small parcel of sandwiches which she decided to send to Sirius later.

"Are Tilly and Dobby here?" she asked the elves after they had backed off a bit. Two simultaneous 'CRACKS' echoed through the room and Erin beamed down at her two little friends.

"Hi, guys!" she smiled as the elves bowed low in greeting. "How are you?"

"Very good, Miss Erin," Tilly squeaked happily while Dobby nodded in agreement.

"Excellent!" Erin chuckled. "Well, I just wanted to stop by and give you these…" She reached into her robes and pulled out two small packages. "I went to Hogsmeade yesterday and I picked up some little trinkets for each of you."

"Oh, Miss Erin, you shouldn't have!" Tilly said with equal parts excitement and uncertainty.

Erin gave her a reassuring smile as she pressed the small wrapped package into Tilly's long hands. With some trepidation the elf opened it to reveal a lovely set of antique brass brushes. "Oh, Miss!" Tilly gushed. "These are beautiful!" She turned bright moist eyes to Erin's face as she clutched the brushes to her chest. "Tilly has never owned anything so lovely! Thank you, Miss!"

"I'm glad you like them," Erin grinned and then she handed Dobby a slightly larger package. He opened it slowly and then gaped down at the soft blue sweater inside. She had been unsure if he would like the toddler-sized garment, but it seemed silly to buy him yet another scarf or hat and it was one of the few things she had seen that might fit him.

She became nervous as he simply continued to stare at the small article of clothing. "Oh, dear," she said worriedly after a full minute had passed. "Um, if you don't like it I can return it and get you something else…"

He lifted his head then and she saw unshed tears shining in his large eyes. "It is wonderful!" He exclaimed. "But, Dobby does not deserve presents from Miss Erin. Miss Erin helped Dobby immensely and she is the one who deserves a gift."

Erin chuckled in relief. "That's sweet of you to say, but thanks to Professor Dumbledore I have everything I need...well, almost everything," She corrected herself as an image of her children popped into her head, making her heart clench painfully. "Anyway, I just wanted to thank you both for your help and friendship."

"What is the matter?" Dobby asked, seeing the spasm of pain in her eyes. Tilly looked up at her with concern as well.

She fought the urge to tell them about her kids and the life the used to know, but she didn't know how much they knew or were allowed to know and so she gave them a small shrug instead. "I miss my home," she sighed. "I've never been this far from home before and as much as I'm loving this place, I am a bit homesick." It was a half truth. She did miss her house, but it was the people who had once inhabited it that really made her heart ache.

Dobby nodded in understanding as he gently caressed the soft sweater in his arms. His brow furrowed for a moment as if he were concentrating hard on something and then he suddenly hopped up in excitement.

"Oh! Dobby knows something that might help!" He grabbed Erin's hand and pulled her toward the portrait hole. "Come, come!"

Erin frowned slightly, but allowed him to drag her along. She gave Tilly a feeble wave goodbye as they left and she knew she had the same bemused look on her face as the small female elf. She wondered where in the world Dobby was taking her, but he seemed so focused on his destination that she decided not to ask, and simply wait for all to be revealed.

He led her up the staircase and along to the seventh floor corridor past the Fat Lady (who watched the unusual sight with so much interest that she knew she'd be the topic of more portrait gossip within the hour) until finally he came to a stop in front of a long empty patch of bleak stone wall.

"Here we are," he grinned up at her.

Erin glanced up and down the long empty hall and then arched an eyebrow at the little elf. "I don't understand," she murmured as she searched in vain for whatever it was he wanted to show her.

"This," Dobby said, motioning toward the blank wall, "is what we call the Come and go room."

Realization hit and Erin felt a twinge of excitement course through her. She had totally forgotten about the Room of Requirement. While reading the books, she had always wished she had a Room of Requirement in her house, just as she'd always wished that the holodeck from Star Trek were real.

"Think hard about what you want as you walk back and forth here, and the room will produce it," He explained. "Go on and try. Just think hard about your home and it will appear."

Erin forced a frown of disbelief but already her mind was picturing her home just as it had been when she left. After her third pass in front of the empty patch of wall a door suddenly appeared. She cast one more uneasy glace down at Dobby, but he nodded her on excitedly. Erin held her breath and opened the door and was forced to gasp as her own familiar living room stood before her.

"Oh, Dobby!" she whispered. "This…this is wonderful!"

The elf peeked in at the brightly lit, inviting room. "Is this Erin Sharp's home?" He asked, and she could only nod from the flood of emotions that threatened to choke her. "It is lovely. Erin Sharp can come here whenever she misses her home and it will appear for her. Dobby must get back to work now, but please stay as long as you like."

Erin nodded and then bent down to hug the startled elf to her. "Thank you, Dobby," she said softly and when she released him he had a bashful smile on his face.

"Erin Sharp is very welcome, and she can call on Dobby anytime." He bowed low and then snapped his fingers and disappeared with a loud, 'CRACK'.

Once he was gone, Erin stepped hesitantly into her former living room. Everything was just as she remembered. All of the furniture and fixtures were exactly where they should be and she was delighted to find that the doors actually led to the other rooms. After exploring the whole main floor, a wild, hopeful thought occurred to her and she bolted up the stairs to the children's bedroom. Was it possible that the magic of this place could have recreated them too?

Their names were on her lips before she even threw the door open but as she took in the untouched space the words died on her lips. All of their things were here, the beds, the clothes, the toys…everything except them. She knew it had been a silly, unrealistic wish, but that didn't stop the flow of tears that coursed down her cheeks as she stood amongst her beloved children's belongings.

She passed her hands over their beds hoping to feel a residual touch of their warmth, but the covers were cold and unused. She brought their clothes to her nose and inhaled deeply, praying for a hint of their smell, but there was nothing but the clean scent of fabric. Overcome, Erin collapsed onto Andy's bed and pulled the pillow to her as she broke down and wept. All of the pain and anguish she had managed to keep bottled inside bust out of her and she sobbed until she had no tears left to shed.

She had no idea how much time had passed, but when she was able, she dragged herself to the bathroom and washed her face before heading back out to the seventh floor corridor. Strangely she felt a tiny bit better after her mini break down, but her head was still swimming and she decided that fresh air was the answer. After stopping into her dorm to write a quick note to Sirius she headed out toward the owlery.

The sun was still bright in the sky and it seemed that everyone was still out enjoying the last few hours of light before dinner. Erin passed several people who waved invitingly for her to join them, but she knew she couldn't handle their silly school age chatter just now and merely shook her head at them in response as she continued on.

The owlery was a noisy, filthy, smelly place and Erin had to force herself to enter it. Every surface, it seemed, was layered with rotting, half eaten rodent carcasses and thick owl waste. It was nasty. Erin held her breath and located the closest of the schools brown owls before tying the note and bag of food to its leg and sending it on its way. Once the bird was gone she turned and practically sprinted from the space. She just made the doorway when someone appeared from the other side. Unfortunately, she was moving too fast to stop and she plowed directly into the _last_ person she wanted to see today.

"What the…? Brittany spat indignantly as she stumbled backward. "Get the hell off of me!" She shoved Erin back and then, once realizing who she was, glared hard at her. "Oh, it's you," she snarled. "What the hell were you running from? Don't tell me you're afraid of owls?"

"No," Erin bristled. "It's disgusting in there. I was trying to get out."

"Disgusting, eh?" Brittany sniffed contemptuously. "Then you should feel right at home."

Erin narrowed her eyes at the other girl and then sighed deeply. "What is it that I've done to offend you? You don't know me, and we're hardly spoken so what is it about me that makes you act so meanly?"

Brittany sneered at her. "Because you are a loudmouth bitch, that's why. You came in here and started talking about things that you don't know shit about. Why did you even come here? You don't belong at this school. Why don't you just go back to wherever in the hell you came from?"

Erin opened her mouth, but no words came out. Those were exactly the questions that she wanted the answers to. Why had she come here? She certainly didn't belong. And the only thing she truly wanted was to go home.

She felt she same despair and heartache she'd felt in the Room of Requirement creep back over her and it choked her for a moment. Then she saw the glint of triumph in Brittany's cruel eyes and her irritation level shot up and her inner bitch leapt forward. She schooled her features and gave the other girl the haughtiest look she could manage.

"Oh, really?" she scoffed. "Because I've heard you _used_ to be the hottest girl around before I got here…not that I believe such ridiculou_s_ rumors. I just figured you were jealous of my brains, beauty, and talent, but what you said made a _lot_ more sense. Thanks for clearing that up for me."

Erin smiled in satisfaction at the openmouthed outrage on Brittany's face and she began to turn to descend the twisting steps when a flash of movement caught her eye. She wasn't sure exactly what happened, but in the next moment there was a flash of blue light and Brittany was on her back on the ground; her wand still spinning on the floor where it landed after being blasted out of her hand.

Erin stared at her in confusion. At first she had no idea what had made the other girl fall, but then she glanced down and was stunned to find her own wand held tightly in her raised fist. Had she stunned Brittany? As much as she didn't want to believe it, it certainly seemed so. She didn't remember casting a spell, or even intending to, but the evidence in front of her could not be denied.

After several seconds had passed without a sign of movement from the other girl, Erin inched toward her. She checked her pulse and respiration and found that she was all right, but still completely unconscious. Unsure of what to do, Erin frowned deeply. Should she go for help? Dumbledore was going to be furious with her when he found out about this, even if she had acted in self defense.

She ran a hand through her hair in uncertainty and then moved toward the stairs again intending to find someone to help, when another idea suddenly occurred to her. Crossing her fingers in the hopes that it would work, she raised her wand, pointed it at Brittany. "Enervate!" She incanted firmly, and thankfully the prone girl began to stir. Erin breathed a sigh of relief and then bent down to help the other girl up. "Are you okay?" she asked as she tugged Brittany into a sitting position.

"Get off me!" Brittany demanded shrilly, slapping Erin's hands away. "Don't touch me!"

"Sorry," Erin muttered as she took a step back. "I was just trying to help you."

"Help me?" Brittany snapped as she shakily got to her feet. "Help me! You stunned me!"

"In self defense!" Erin snapped angrily. "You were going to curse me!"

"Try proving that to Professor Dumbledore!" Brittany sneered and then she snatched up her wand and darted down the steps.

Erin watched her jog down the steps and stride purposefully toward the castle. She would head straight to the headmasters office, no doubt. _Damn it_, she grumbled to herself. This was the last thing she needed today. She had no desire to spend the rest of the evening in Dumbledore's office defending herself and her actions. What made it even more upsetting was that she wasn't sure which of them he would believe.

Although the headmaster had never seemed to openly distrust her, she really was an unknown entity. It was depressing, really, that she knew so much about this word and the people who inhabited it, but they really weren't allowed to know anything about her. Even Dumbledore only knew the bare minimum. So how could he take her word over a student who had been here for seven years? What would he say? What would he do? How could he allow her to stay here if he thought she was a danger to his students?

Erin walked back to the castle shadowed by a dark cloud of doubt and worry. For a moment she considered going straight up to Dumbledore's office to confront any accusations head-on, but she quickly decided that she really wasn't ready for yet another confrontation. Once inside the castle she simply continued walking. There were still many places she had yet to explore and where better to start than the ground floor?

She walked without purpose from one corridor to the next; poking her head into nearly every room she passed. Eventually she found herself in the muggle studies corridor. There wasn't much but empty rooms in that corridor until she reached the last door. Peeking in, Erin found a room whose walls were lined with musical instruments. In the center of the room was a dais, upon which stood an old, yet very beautiful and well cared for grand piano.

Her feet moved without her meaning them to, and when she reached the piano, she ran her fingers lovingly over the keys. After a moment she played a few random chords and smiled when she heard the beautifully tuned notes ring out. It had been so very long since she had last played, she wondered if she remembered at all.

During her young teenaged years while Erin had lived for a while with her father's brother; her older cousin had been the keyboardist in a band. He had been very nice to her and whenever he had few spare moments he had taught her how to play. She had never been a virtuoso or anything near it, but when she played, the notes came together well enough to be recognizable. Erin had loved it. When she played she felt free, as if nothing else in the world mattered and her heart felt light and untroubled. Unfortunately, it was the only place she ever lived in where she'd had access to a piano. Then later, after she had married jack it had just seemed like an unnecessary expense. It was a decision she often regretted.

The few notes she played seemed to linger in the air like ghosts, beckoning her to play more. Erin lowered herself onto the aged bench and placed her fingers gently on the keys. To her surprise the music seemed to flow from her as she began a sad, lonesome ballad. Her hands seemed to know what to do so she closed her eyes and let the music flow, unaware that the ethereal music had drawn a silent visitor.

After a hysterical seventh year Gryffindor had stormed into his office to accuse Erin Sharp of attacking her, Dumbledore knew he couldn't ignore the issue even though he was familiar with the accuser and was aware that she was telling, at best, a half truth. After assuring the furious young woman that he would look into the situation personally, he had dismissed her and then requested that the portraits locate Erin.

His thoughts were heavy as he made his way to the muggle studies corridor. He needed to find out why Erin had drawn her wand against another student. Ever since Erin had arrived Dumbledore had been keeping a particularly close eye on her. She was still such a mystery, and because of that worrisome unknown, he had harbored deep concerns about her.

Erin seemed like such a good-natured, quiet girl. However, according to the professors who spent so much time tutoring her, she was impressively powerful and proficient at magic – as if she had known it all her life. But, how could that be when she claimed to only know of magic through works of fiction? He couldn't deny that it made him uneasy. He wanted to trust the lovely young woman. He wanted to believe that she was an innocent in this whole strange affair…but who was she, _really_?

The first haunting notes of a lonesome melody reached his ears as he approached the corridor. The gentle music was so sweet and emotionally charged that his step unintentionally lagged as she strained to hear more. No other music other than phoenix song had ever affected him so deeply. All of the sad memories he had ever known began to swirl in his mind, and it took a concentrated effort to hold back long unshed tears.

He realized quickly that the music was infused with emotionally charged magic. All music, he knew, had the ability to penetrate the mind and cause the listener to reflect on certain personal memories. It could make one feel nearly anything, from joy to contentedness to depression – but only very powerful magical beings could create music that had the ability to engulf the mind or control the emotions of its listeners.

He quickly shook off the unwanted feelings rising in him and walked to the music room at the end of the hall. Erin had her back to him as he approached the doorway, and he paused there to watch her play. Her body swayed slowly as she caressed the keys and when her head turned slightly he could see that her eyes were closed, giving her a peaceful, dreamy quality.

Strangely, as he watched he began to see shimmering colors, almost like an aura, emerge from Erin's body. The longer she played and the more emotionally charged the music became, the brighter the colors glowed until she was nearly surrounded by the radiant lights. The bands of colorful mist were not stationary as they floated around her, but appeared to dance and swirl in rhythm to the music and when he looked closer, he realized that each note she played seemed to impact the depth of the colors. High notes made the colors appear light and airy whereas low, reverberating notes made the colors seem dark and ominous.

The sound of shuffling feet made Dumbledore turn. He turned to discover a group of about a dozen students drawn, no doubt, by the magic of the music. Half of them were softly weeping and the other half seemed to be barely containing their tears.

The song came to a lonesome end a moment later, and without pause Erin began another. This music was more upbeat and aroused memories of his rather carefree childhood. He instantly felt lighter and more hopeful and a glance at the students behind him showed the same change of emotions on their faces. They were smiling now instead of crying and their bodies had begun swaying gently to the music.

There were also more students arriving and soon more than thirty children were gathered in the hall. He moved aside and waved them into the room to clear the way as even more people began making their way down the corridor. The musical mist had grown was well and was now so large that it actually bounced off the walls as it shimmered around them, encompassing them.

And then she began to sing.

Dumbledore actually felt the oxygen level in the room decrease as everyone gasped at once. Her voice was strong and perfectly pitched and so powerful that it broke through even his newly reinforced mental barricades. Never in his life had he experienced anything like it. It took actual effort on his part not to fall under its spell and start swaying to the music like everyone else.

As for Erin, she was so caught up in the song that she hadn't noticed her growing audience so when the last notes of the song faded and a rousing applause rang out she shrieked and whirled around in surprise. She felt color flood her face as the cheering and clapping seemed to go on forever until finally Dumbledore dismissed the reluctant crowd leaving them alone in the suddenly too small room.

The twinkle was back in his eyes as he smiled curiously at her. "Good evening, Miss Sharp," he said pleasantly. "I hate to interrupt you, but I believe there are a few things we need to discuss."

"I-I'm sorry," she sputtered. "I know I didn't have permission to come in here, but I saw the piano and, well… I couldn't seem to help myself."

"That is a condition that seems to be going around," he smiled. "However, I must speak with you and I ask that you accompany me to my office so we can discuss these matters in private."

Erin nodded and then trailed slowly behind him as he made his way back up to the seventh floor. Once there he motioned for her to sit as he arranged himself behind his desk. Once he was situated he simply observed her over his half moon glasses.

She felt herself grow increasingly nervous as he watched her, and finally her composure broke. "This is about Brittany, isn't it?" she blurted anxiously. "I don't know what she told you, but I didn't attack her – at least…I don't think I did. I don't even know exactly what happened. We were arguing and I was walking away when I saw her start to draw her wand. The next thing I knew my wand was in my hand and she was lying on the ground stunned. I revived her and she ran off. That's all I remember, I swear."

Dumbledore nodded slowly. "Yes, I spoke with her and she seemed quite distraught."

Erin opened her mouth in outrage, but before she could say anything Dumbledore raised his hand. "I am familiar with that young lady and I know how she tends to overreact when she feels slighted. Rest assured that I do not believe that you intentionally hurt her. Still, I would encourage you not to raise your wand against any more of our students."

"Even in self-defense?" Erin frowned.

Dumbledore smiled slightly. "I cannot say that there is never a need for defensive magic; otherwise we would not be teaching it to you. Even I had my fair share of school yard duels. However, I must remind you of the delicate circumstance we find ourselves in. You must try not to draw undue attention to yourself," he reminded gently. "Which brings me to the next topic of interest. Are you aware that you possess magical musical aptitude? I have only witnessed musical hypnotism a few times in my life. It is a very rare gift. I am not terribly surprised that you possess this ability as according to your professors, you have displayed great power and skill in all of your subjects."

Erin made a face. "They said that? I thought I was just barely scraping by." She shook her head incredulously. "As for the other thing…musical whatever…I've never heard of such a thing."

"It is very rare," he nodded. "But I am certain it is what I witnessed this evening. Your music summoned students from all over the castle. Even I felt its pull. It also brought out memories and emotions in me that I have not felt for a very long time. It is a power gift, and if used unwisely, a very dangerous one."

"Dangerous how?" she frowned. "It's just music."

"As you know, even ordinary music has the ability to influence emotions. For some people, it can influence actions as well. It can be used to rally people to a cause, or turn them against one another. Different music can affect different people. Yet, if you were to put that emotionally charged music in the hands of a particularly skilled wizard or witch, such as yourself, then it is possible that you could make people feel anything you wanted them too; it is even possible that you could even make them do your bidding."

"You must be joking," Erin scoffed. "I can't do that! I'm not even very good at the piano."

Dumbledore chuckled as he gazed at her. "What can I do to convince you of your abilities? You must realize that if it were not for your continued self-doubt, you could be an extraordinarily powerful witch."

Erin made a sour face as she squirmed uncomfortably in her chair and Dumbledore sighed. "Erin, I don't know all of the circumstances of your life, but whatever it was that made you feel as if you are anything less than exceptional did you a great disservice. Still, this new ability has me concerned and I will wish to speak of it again when I have learned more about it. However, I can see that you are anxious to be away from here, and so I won't take up too much more of your time."

He smiled again at the look of relief on her face, but he was not yet done with her. "Now, it has come to my attention that you have made the acquaintance of Sirius Black…"

Erin blinked in surprise and Dumbledore arched an eyebrow at her as he lifted a piece of parchment from his desk. "He wrote to me of your meeting. He wanted to verify your story and extol your kindness to him. It seems he was very impressed by your courage in approaching him alone and also very touched by your thoughtful generosity. As much as I wish you had not done something so careless, I am pleased that you were able to bring a good and deserving man a small measure of comfort. I must remind you, however, not to speak openly of the things you know. I also ask that you come to me the next time you wish to reveal your true identity to anyone. I feel as if the fewer people who know the truth, the better."

"You're not angry that I met with him?"

"No, not at all," Dumbledore assured. "Indeed, I think he would benefit from your friendship. He, like you, has suffered greatly in his life. I think a companionship between the two of you would be advantageous to you both."

Erin nodded, feeling very relieved. Even if he had said he didn't want her to speak to Sirius again, she still would have. Sirius needed as many friends as he could get, and there was no way she could turn her back on him. She had to admit, though, that it made her feel better to know he approved. "So, is that all? Can I go now?"

"One more thing," he said, halting her as she half-rose from her chair. "I must ask that you be very careful in the future when you play or sing. You must be aware of how the emotions you feel while performing can influence those around you. Generally those who possess such mind-altering abilities must be reported to, and monitored by the Ministry. Since that is impossible in your case, you must strive to control yourself."

Erin still didn't fully believe she was capable of such magic but she nodded anyway. As she left his office, she contemplated the things Dumbledore had told her. Could she really make people feel and do things with her music? Was it possible? The whole idea seemed outrageous to her, but he had seemed so sure of it. What did it mean? What was it about this place that had altered her so completely? Here, it seemed, she was so much more than the shy, unassuming woman she used to be and she found it to be very disconcerting. She'd never liked being the center of attention, and her old life had allowed her to fade easily into the background. Perhaps too easily. Why had karma or fate (or whatever it was doing this to her) changed her life so irrevocably? Well, whatever the reason, she didn't like it one bit.


	7. Pain relief

Here is the next chapter for you. I hope that you enjoy reading it. If you do, please let me know in the **reviews**!

Please remember that I do **not** own anything even remotely related to Harry Potter.

Though, I do enjoy playing with it!

(There is a tiny bit of naughtiness in this chapter. It's just a slight taste of things to come, but I thought I'd give you fair warning.)

...

Chapter 7

The next several weeks flew by absurdly fast for Erin, and nearly every moment of it was taken up by a seemingly endless barrage of schoolwork. Every night after tutoring, Erin would drag herself back to the tower and collapse on the couch that was almost always inhabited by her friends.

They had asked her many times why she spent all of her would-be free time with tutors when there were surely more fun distractions to occupy her time, but she would always just shrug and explain that school days were for learning and fun could come later. They thought her philosophy was crazy, and she had to admit that at times she did as well. (Especially when her head, eyes and neck hurt from the hours and hours of being bent over tedious books and scrolls.) However, it was still the only thing that could effectively keep her mind from wandering to those desolate painful places that made her heart lurch.

Still, there were a few things that happened over those weeks that had bothered her. Firstly, there was the issue that had been raised in Dumbledore's office about music. His suggestion that she possessed some strange ability to enchant people with music weighed on her. It was so absurd that she simply didn't believe it…she _couldn't_ believe it. What worried her was how absolutely _convinced_ he had been.

So, one night about a month after their conversation Erin decided that she had had enough. It was an easy enough thing to disprove. There was a sixth year muggle-born who sometimes played an acoustic guitar he had brought with him from home. That particular night he was sitting near the fireplace strumming a very familiar ballad to a girl he obviously liked when Erin casually strode over to them.

She knew the music well. It had been a very popular love song when she was younger. So she sat down and listened until the beginning of the chorus and then she began to quietly sing along.

_When I fall in love_

_It will be forever_

_Or I'll never fall in love_

Nothing happened at first other than the young couple giving her an odd sideways glance at her intrusion. Still she kept singing, and as she sang she recalled Dumbledore's words that the music needed to be emotionally charged. So, she closed her eyes and began to recall those romantic early days with Jack when they were newly in love and every day seemed like a happy grand adventure just waiting to happen.

_And the moment_

_I can feel that _

_You feel that way too _

_Is when I fall in love_

_With you_

As the last note faded Erin realized that she was singing alone. The gentle twang of the guitar had gone silent long before her voice and as she opened her eyes, she was stunned at what she saw. The couple before her were locked in a passionate embrace so much so that she had to look away. But, as she glanced around the room it was clear that they were not the only ones affected.

Several well known couples were either staring longingly into each other's eyes, or they were lip-locked without care as to those around them. Even a couple who had been on the rocks with their relationship were cuddling close together while many others seemed glazed as the effects of the music washed over them.

As they each slowly came back to themselves, all of them seemed befuddled and surprised to find themselves as they were. Most of them laughed it off and quietly returned to whatever they were doing before she began to sing. However, as she got up to return to her friends she caught Brittany's eye. The look she saw there was one of suspicion and utter dislike but as she turned away the look became devious.

Dumbledore had warned her not to bring attention to herself, and she managed to do that her first day. He had asked her to be careful with her new gift, but because she hadn't trust him she'd frivolously tried it out. And now the one person who despised her appeared suspicious of her. She hoped she hadn't just made a big mistake.

Of course, realizing that the talent was real boggled her mind. She actually seemed to be able to shift the emotional climate of a room with music. She didn't understand it, nor did she really like it, but it did seem to be possible. The new found knowledge both thrilled and terrified her. She didn't want that kind of power. It was yet another gift she hadn't asked for and didn't really want. After that incident she vowed never to use it frivolously again.

The second incident occurred at the end of April. It had been a particularly difficult few weeks and Erin was really starting to feel the strain. The subject matter in all of her classes had become fairly complex as examination time approached. All of her professors had really been stepping up the work they expected each student to master and she was no exception. As a result her tutors had been working her extra hard to prepare her for the upcoming tests.

They kept telling her that the exam results would be the deciding factor in what occupations she would be able to apply for after her schooling was complete. Of course, she hoped to be back home long before then, but they still insisted she be able to pass everything. Even Remus, who was usually her most lenient and understanding tutor, was working her far harder than before. Whenever she complained that something was too complicated or advanced for her, he would push her to try harder. As annoying and frustrating as that was, she was always able to master the work in the end.

However, the strain was really beginning to show. She spent most nights struggling to complete mounds of assignments which meant that she was averaging 3-4 hours of sleep a day. She was too tired to eat, and her body was so sore and exhausted that some days just getting out of bed was a chore.

That isn't to say it was all bad. Magic, she learned, often made everyday problems much simpler; particularly for women. There were magical solutions to practically every annoying female complaint.

There was a spell she'd learned from Melody that flawlessly removed hair from whatever part the body the wielder wished, which meant no more shaving cuts or leg stubble to worry about. There were also potions that made nails longer and stronger, which she loved as hers were always breaking. And most especially, there were many magical treatments for the monthly symptoms of womanhood. Magic could cure everything from cramps to bloating. Erin was especially thrilled when she was given a packet of self-cleaning multi-use pads and tampons from Madam Pomfrey. Those in particular convinced her how awesome magic could be.

Still, as wonderful as magic was, nothing was able to take away her stress and exhaustion. Finally, late one night as she struggled to complete essays for both Professors Snape and Flitwick, she simply had to stop. The words on the page had gone blurry and nothing made sense anymore. It felt like her eyes had crossed and her head was simply pounding. With a huff of annoyance she slammed her books closed and sat back in her chair to futilely rub at her throbbing temples.

It was very late; probably well after two in the morning so it seemed silly to go to the hospital wing for a headache draught or pepper-up potion. She briefly considered calling Dobby or Tilly to help, but she didn't want to appear needy or exploitive toward them.

A long, hot shower seemed like just the solution, but she wasn't sure she had the energy to stand up long enough to ease the tension in her muscles. As she futilely rubbed at her tender neck an idea suddenly occurred to her. There was a place in this school where there was an ample amount of luxurious, soothing hot water to soak in. Was it possible that the password to the prefect bathroom was still 'Pine Fresh'?

There were problems with the plan, of course. She didn't have an invisibility cloak, or magical map like Harry, so making down to the fifth floor at this time of night was likely to be a bit tricky. There were bound to be professors patrolling the halls, and though most of them were normally very relaxed with her, they might not like her breaking the rules so boldly.

After a few more moments of mulling it over, she threw her hands up in exasperation. The bath would help, and anyone roaming the halls would understand her need to unwind a bit.

It took only a few moments to change her clothes and gather up a bag of toiletries. As she crept out through the portrait hole she wondered how silly she would look being discovered in her nightgown, robe, and slippers roaming the halls in the middle of the night. Thankfully, as she silently made her way down the darkened corridors there didn't seem to be anyone about.

Finally she made it to the fifth floor. It was easy enough to locate the fourth door to the left of the statue of Boris the Bewildered. Erin leaned in close and whispered, "Pine Fresh", and to her delight the door clicked open.

It was a large, softly lit space that smelled heavily of wildflowers. To the left were a long row of toilet stalls and sinks. To the right stood four low stone benches behind which was a row of wide marble floor to ceiling columns. She could just barely see the large pool sized bath that lay on the floor beyond them.

She felt her eagerness grow as she imagined sinking into a hot, steamy bath. After first reading about the giant bath she had fantasized about basking in its depths and soaking her cares away. Yet, as she kicked off her slippers and slid off her robe she heard an odd noise. It sounded like a wispy sigh followed by a light splash. With a frown, Erin peered around the nearest column to get a better look at the pool. Stifling a gasp, she darted back behind the column and froze. Her mind reeled as she realized that she was not alone.

There was already someone in the bath. A decidedly _male_ someone. It had only been a glance, but from the way his head was lolled back, and the position of his body as he reclined against the edge of the bath…well, it appeared that he was _pleasuring_ himself.

Erin was mortified. Obviously he had been too busy to hear her come in, but she was terrified that he would notice her if she moved again. She took several deep breaths to calm her nerves and steady herself and then she cautiously peered back around the column, hoping that if he was still…occupied…he would be distracted enough for her to quietly slip away.

The sight before her was staggering. The young man was very well made, and his nicely toned muscles rippled as he moved and tensed under his own ministrations. With a jolt she recognized him. Though she had seen him from afar during mealtimes and the last task of the tournament, she had never before realized how handsome Cedric Diggory was.

She didn't know how long she had been watching, though it was certainly far longer than was appropriate. After all, he was technically a boy compared to her. _No_, the logical part of her brain argued. _He's actually slightly older than you. He only seems younger because of the time-shift. _That thought made her feel a little better about what she was witnessing, but it didn't stop the guilt at the knowledge that she was spying on someone who was currently in the midst of a rather _intimate_ activity.

She made to turn away, thinking that she might not have much more time to escape if she stayed any longer, when she saw him suddenly tense up. His movements quickened and he gave a sweet low moan before he threw his head back and sighed as he reached completion.

Erin realized two things then. First was the fact that what she had seen had affected her much more than she liked. Her toes were curled on the hard stone floor, and there was a heavy, urgent pressure in her low belly. It occurred to her that with all that had happened since coming here, tending to her own _personal_ needs had not once entered her mind.

It wasn't that strange really. Back home there never seemed to be any time for such frivolity. With the house and the kids to care for full time she was often too exhausted to even consider such things. Even when she wasn't sleeping alone there was hardly any opportunity. In the past two years she and Jack had made love less than a dozen times. None of those had been earth-shattering. Add to that all of the turmoil she had experienced recently and it wasn't surprising that her libido had been on hiatus.

The other and most pressing realization was the fact that she needed to leave at once. Cedric was bound to come back to his senses at any moment, and she certainly didn't want to get caught peeping. As quickly and quietly as she could, Erin gathered up her things and snuck out into the darkened hall and ducked behind the statue of Boris the Bewildered to catch her breath.

Her heart was pounding and her mind was racing at what had just happened. It had been so long since she'd experienced desire that she'd almost forgotten how urgent it could feel. There was a fine sheen of moisture on her skin and her body felt hot and antsy. The needful, uninhibited part of her brain begged her to waltz back in and ask if he needed any help, but then, she knew she could never be so bold.

As she heard the echoes of movement come from behind the door, she knew she needed to get away. Erin huffed as she pulled herself away from the wall to head back toward the moving staircase. The idea of waiting for him to leave to have her own bath seemed uncouth considering how she had behaved. All she wanted to do now was crawl into bed and forget what a shameless voyeur she was.

As she waited for the stairs to move back into place the sound of raised voices could be heard from the corridor behind. Her heart fell as two men came into view and she groaned their identities became clear.

Professor Snape had Cedric Diggory by the arm as he dragged him toward the stairs."You might think that because you are a _champion_," he spat the word 'champion' as if it disgusted him, "…that our silly rules don't apply to you. Well, boy, I'm here to remind you that they do. You are just another pompous, ill-mannered, thick headed child who needs to be taught a lesson in humility."

Snape sounded furious and Erin, not being a complete fool, began searching for someplace (anyplace!) to hide. She frantically scoured the area but there was no obvious hiding spot nearby…and then it was too late.

"You there!" Snape bellowed. "Stop right where you are!"

Erin sighed and turned resignedly to face him. "Hello, professor," she grimaced as he, with Cedric in tow, stomped toward her.

The scowl on Snape's face faded a bit as he recognized her. "Miss Sharp? What are you doing here at this time of night?" There was honest surprise in his voice as he spoke, and then he looked her over and sneered as he took in her nightclothes and toiletries. "What is this? Were you two planning some sort of late night debauchery in the bath?"

"No!" She and Cedric insisted together.

Snape's eyebrows rose distinctly as he glanced between them and it was obvious he thought they were lying. Erin sighed deeply as several excuses popped into her mind, but the truth still seemed the most likely explanation.

"Honestly professor, I came down here to see if I could sneak into the prefects' bathroom. But when I realized it was already in use, I gave up and was heading back up to the dorms when you two came along."

"Oh?" he frowned. "And is there something wrong with the showers in your dormitory?"

"No," she said, casting a sidelong glance at Cedric, who was obviously quite surprised at her words and was blushing furiously. "Actually, I have been under a great deal of stress and I was hoping that a nice relaxing bath would help ease this ferocious headache." She rubbed her temples again, and tried to look as pitiful as she felt.

Snape studied her for a moment and then he fixed an icy glare on Cedric. "Go back to your dormitory, Mr. Diggory," he told him stiffly. "And you had better pray I never catch you out past curfew again. Miss Sharp, come with me."

Obviously not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, Cedric bolted for the stairs and was out of sight in seconds. Erin almost smiled at his speedy retreat, but with Snape frowning so deeply nearby, she didn't want to raise his suspicions any more than they already were.

"Come along," he muttered, motioning for her to follow him. To her surprise he began leading her down the stairs instead of up toward either her dorm or Dumbledore's office. He led her all the way down to the dungeons, to his office, and once there he motioned her to sit down before his large, potion covered desk.

After he had settled himself in his own chair he proceeded to stare wordlessly at her with his dark, penetrating eyes. Normally she would have felt intimidated, but her head and neck were aching horribly, and the dull fire burning in the grate, which cast a dull glow around the dark room, reminded her of exactly how exhausted she was.

Erin began rubbing her forehead as she closed her eyes in an effort to ease some of her discomfort. Her head lolled back against the rather uncomfortable tall, wooden chair and she waited for him to speak again. Amazingly, she had nearly dozed off before he finally broke the heavy silence.

"How have you been dealing with things so far?"

Erin opened her eyes and gave a feeble shrug. "Okay, I guess."

Snape nodded slowly. "Well, I must tell you that you have exceeded my initial expectations with your potions work and that is not something I admit easily, as it rarely happens. And, from what I've been told, you have greatly impressed all of the other Professors who know the truth of you as well. However, I have noticed recently that the enthusiasm you had when you first arrived has waned."

Erin knew it to be true. The longer she remained here, and the more strenuous the work became, the less eager she was to face it all. It was sad, really. This place was a dream-come-true for any true fan of the Harry Potter series, but it was quickly losing its luster for her. She nodded solemnly and waited for him to continue.

"I have seen your schedule, Ms. Sharp, and I know how chaotic things are for you. I have seen the energy fade out of you, and I am concerned. You are obviously suffering. When it got bad why didn't you go to madam Pomfrey for help? Why didn't you come to me? Either one of us could've helped you. We have potions and remedies for nearly every ailment."

He turned to peruse his potion stores before selecting a small vial and handing it to her. "That is a pain relieving solution. Drink it." He waited while she quickly swallowed the contents before handing her a second, larger vial. "This is a high energy draught. It's for exhaustion. Drink one mouthful every morning when you wake and it will help you maintain your stamina during the day."

Erin thanked him and then waited impatiently to be excused. The pain potion was already taking effect and she wanted to get to her bed while she still felt well enough to fall asleep quickly.

"Please remember that no one, Dumbledore especially, wants you to suffer. If there is anything you need help with, I urge you to ask for it. Keep in mind however, that even though your circumstances are unusual, you are still a student here and I cannot overlook anymore indiscretions like the one tonight. I am aware that you were a married woman, and that you probably have a woman's…_needs_…"

"Professor!" she cried indignantly. "I really wasn't trying to…"

He raised a hand to stop her mid-sentence. "I don't want to know what you and Mr. Diggory were planning, but let me remind you that even though it does occasionally occur, such behavior is, and will always be frowned upon at this school. I can make a libido suppressing potion if you think it will help you control your baser urges…"

"Oh, please stop," Erin moaned, feeling thoroughly embarrassed. "I hardly know that boy, and I assure you I don't need any help repressing anything. Honestly, my heavy work load has already done wonders to kill whatever…amorous… feeling I might have. I'm sorry I was out so late, but it had nothing to do with anything nefarious, I swear."

Snape saw the pained look on her face and an amused smirk lifted the corners of his mouth. "Fine, I won't ask again. However, the next time you sneak in to the prefects' bathroom to find it already in use, you might not want to wait so long to leave."

She stared at him mouth-agape for several seconds while he grinned at her gob smacked expression. He dismissed her after that, and Erin made a hasty retreat to try and bury her intense mortification in her pillow.

…..

The following morning at breakfast as Erin made her way toward the Gryffindor table, Cedric Diggory appeared at her side. His face was flushed and he couldn't meet her eye at first, but finally he got himself together enough to speak.

"Um, thanks for rescuing me last night," he murmured. "I was sure Snape was going to give me detention for a month. I still can't believe he let me go. So, yeah, I just wanted to say thank you…uh…Erin, was it?"

She nodded and smiled at him, praying furiously that he would wrap it up and leave her alone. He was the last person in the world she wanted to see right then. Well, him and Snape. She was still reeling at the humiliation she had endured the night before and all she wanted to do was forget it ever happened.

"You didn't get in trouble, did you?"

"Oh, no," she replied quickly. "Professor Snape took pity on me too. He gave me a headache remedy and sent me on my way."

"Huh," Cedric said thoughtfully. "There must be something about you. I've never heard of him being so nice to anyone."

Erin gave a slight shrug and began to turn away hoping to make a break for it, but Cedric halted her. "Uh, listen, I wanted to ask you something." His face was redder than it was a moment before and Erin felt her stomach clench in alarm.

For a moment he seemed too embarrassed to go on, and she silently begged him to walk away. Sadly, he seemed to gather his nerve. "When you said you realized the bathroom was occupied…" Erin closed her eyes in humiliation and waited for it. "Well, how did you know someone was already in there?"

She couldn't admit the truth. She simply couldn't. "I heard a splash and I left. That's all."

"That's all?" he repeated hopefully. "Oh…okay then."

At that moment Cho Chang walked up and wrapped a possessive arm around Cedric's waist. "Hello sweetie," she said as she kissed his cheek and then turned a rather frosty glare upon Erin. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Erin smiled benignly, thankful for the chance to escape this awkward conversation. "I was just going."

As she sat down next to Melody, Erin glanced back at Cho and Cedric in time to see them pull apart from a rather heated kiss. Obviously Cho had felt threatened by her and was attempting to reinforce her place in Cedric's heart.

Harry, she noted, was watching the romantic exchange as well. She'd forgotten how much he liked the girl. Of course, next year he would realize how pointless his infatuation was.

Erin had never really liked Cho in the books. She'd always seemed like a silly, frivolous sort of girl. Then again, Cho hadn't really had enough time to get over Cedric when she and Harry got together.

That realization sent a wave of pain coursing through her heart. In less than three months Cedric Diggory would be dead. His life would be ripped from him on the whim of a psychopathic monster. His parents and friends would grieve terribly for their loss and then everything would suddenly change for everyone here.

Cedric's death would be tragic and pointless, and it would only be the first in a long line of loss and misery for the people of this world.

And it seemed likely that she was going to be forced to witness it.

….

The following week was particularly rough for Erin. Not only had her studies been taking a great toll on her, but she had not been able to get Cedric out of her mind. She was filled with dread at what was to come and she would give anything not to be here when the last task occurred. She absolutely did not want to witness that painful episode, but try as she may, there seemed to be no way to avoid it. Her heart ached and she wanted desperately to warn him of his future even though she knew she couldn't.

She felt helpless and lost and there was no one she could turn to for help. As it was, she had taken to hiding from the false Professor Moody because she couldn't trust herself not to call him out and reveal his true identity to everyone. Having to see him twice a week during classes made her anxious and angry. She hated him with a fiery passion and it was becoming nearly impossible to hide it. She knew he was becoming suspicious, but she didn't care. She wanted him to know that not everyone was fooled by his benign charade.

By the time Saturday rolled around she had needed to visit both Madam Pomfrey and Processor Snape twice for calming draughts and pain relieving potions. She could tell they were worried about her, but she knew she couldn't reveal the truth. Even Dumbledore had confronted her. Obviously word had gotten back to him that she wasn't doing well emotionally but when she told him that her troubles revolved around a certain future event he apologized and said he did not want to hear it as there was nothing he could do.

It was infuriating. How could he (or she, for that matter) allow everyone to coast along blindly; completely unaware of the evil that awaited them in just a few short weeks? The last time Erin felt this helpless was when her children had been taken away from her. She didn't know how much more she could take, and the dreaded event hadn't even happened yet.

Erin desperately needed someone to talk to but no one seemed a viable option until one night when she'd seen the notice for the next Hogsmeade weekend.

She knew she couldn't tell Sirius all of the grisly details. He would intervene for sure, and that would irrevocably change the timeline. However, she could at least get some of it off of her shoulders. She wrote to him first thing the next day and he readily agreed to meet with her.

At noon on the day of the Hogsmeade visit, Erin visited the kitchen and filled a large picnic basket with food and treats before heading out for the village. The Early May weather was still rather cool, but the snow had melted and the plants and trees were slowly returning to life. Everyone seemed in a happy mood as they headed out for their favorite shops – everyone except Erin.

As she approached the far end of the village, Erin saw the rather disheveled looking black dog sitting patiently in front of The Three Broomsticks. His tail began wagging furiously as he watched her approach and she couldn't help but smile.

"Hello, Snuffles," she said, as she bent down to pat him on the head. "How are you?"

Sirius the dog barked once and licked her hand, making her squeal and chuckle at his antics.

"Shall we go then?" She asked, motioning toward the cave. Sirius barked again and together they headed off.

Once they reached it, Erin waited outside the cave opening to give Sirius a chance to change back into his human form in private. After a moment he called to her and she walked in to find him sitting fully clothed on a rock near Buckbeak. He was smiling in a pleasant, expectant way, and Erin noted with some satisfaction that he seemed much healthier than the last time she'd seen him.

"You're looking good," she smiled.

"Yeah, eating and bathing regularly can do that to a man," he laughed dryly. He gave her a rather thorough once over and a sly grin crossed his face. "You look pretty good yourself."

Erin felt herself blush as he looked at her. If she thought he was handsome before when he was filthy and too skinny, now that he was clean and well-fed, he was damn near gorgeous.

Sirius was still smiling as he patted the rock nearest him, beckoning her to sit down. She hesitated, finding that she was actually a bit nervous to be so close to him.

He chuckled as he saw the uncertainty on her face. "Oh, come on now. I promise I won't bite…much."

She tried to give him a stern look, but ended up chuckling at his charming rakishness instead. She settled herself on the rock before handing him the basket. "I brought a picnic lunch for us, but if you're hungry now, you can pick through it."

Sirius nodded and took the basket, but he merely set it aside as he turned a concerned gaze upon her.

"From the tenor of your note, I got the feeling that you had something important to discuss." He looked her over again, this time more carefully. "I've heard that you've been having a rough time of it lately. What's wrong?"

"Who said that?" She frowned.

He shrugged lightly. "Remus and Dumbledore. Oh, and Harry mentioned it too."

"Harry?" she repeated, surprised. "We've hardly even talked. I had no idea he even noticed me."

"Well, I sort of asked him to keep an eye on you. I told him that we had met briefly and that you had made quite an impression on me and I wanted to know if he had come to the same conclusions I had," He admitted sheepishly.

"What?" she blinked. To say she was stunned was an understatement. Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times as she struggled with the revelation. "Why?"

He shrugged again. "I was curious, I suppose. You just seemed too good to be true and I wanted to know if you were for real, or if it was all an act."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you just seemed so kind, and sweet. No one is that good…especially not someone as beautiful as you." She blushed furiously as he spoke, but he didn't seem to notice. "From my experience beautiful women are usually so selfish and self absorbed that doing anything generous is beyond them. I just wanted to know if you were like that with everyone or if you had some sort of ulterior motives."

"I see…" she said slowly, feeling somewhat offended that he suspected her of being underhanded. "And, what did he say?"

"Well, like you said, he told me he hardly knew you, but that you seemed like a smart, open, and honest sort of person. In his last letter, though, he confirmed what Remus had told me about how you've seemed rather down lately. It had me quite concerned. So, please, tell me what's wrong."

Erin grimaced slightly. She needed to find a way to explain her issues to him in a way that didn't reveal too much about the future yet still convey enough information to explain why she was so distraught.

"Okay, as you know, I have special knowledge about this world and about many of the people in it. You also know that I have been forbidden from discussing future events so that the timeline is not altered in any significant way. Well, I can't give you all the details, but something is about to happen…something really bad, and I can do nothing to stop it."

Sirius looked solemn. "Have you explained this to Albus?"

"I tried, but when I mentioned that it was a future event, he refused to listen." She grumbled.

He sighed deeply, and then suddenly straightened up upon the rock. "Wait, does this involve Harry? Is he going to be okay?"

Erin hesitated as she tried to think of a way to downplay Harry's part in the event. "Yes, he is involved, but he'll be okay. He'll have some minor injuries, but he will live." _Of course he'll be emotionally scarred for life, but physically he'll be fine. _She thought sadly. "There is someone else who will not be all right. Someone who doesn't deserve his terrible fate. That's what is really getting to me. I can stop this from happening. I could save him and prevent a major catastrophe from occurring, at least for a while longer. How can I sit idly by and allow it to come to pass when I can do something about it now?"

Sirius sighed again and ran a hand through his long, rather untidy hair. "I don't know, Erin. This is a dilemma. However, you said you could stop it from happening _for a while_. This means that you believe whatever it is that is supposed to happen **will** happen regardless of what you do now. I suppose what you have to consider is this; is it better to step in and change things you know are supposed to occur and alter our history as you know it, leaving yourself in the dark about events yet to come, or do you let things play out as they are meant to?"

His words made sense. If she changed the timeline now no one, not even she, would know what the future held. Anything could happen and the consequences of her interference could be disastrous later on. Still, was retaining knowledge of the future worth a young man's life? Or would she be exchanging countless other lives for this one?

Large tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. "I know what I should do, but I feel absolutely awful about it."

"Oh, sweetheart," Sirius murmured sympathetically. He stood and pulled her to him; wrapping her in a soothing embrace. "I know how hard this decision is for you. No one should have to make such a difficult choice."

"I can't watch this happen," she sobbed into his chest. "I just can't do this! I-I just wish I could find a way home before anything bad happens."

"I actually know what you are going through," he said, as he brushed a comforting hand over her long hair. "When I made the decision not to be James and Lily's secret keeper, Dumbledore asked me who I wanted to choose as my replacement. I had to decide between Remus and Peter. Sadly, I chose wrong. That's something that I will have to live with for the rest of my life."

His speech only made Erin cry harder and he clicked his tongue as he rested his chin on her head. "I know it's not easy," he said gently. "But at least you know the outcome of your decision, as bad as it may be. You've said that our history is written this way. These things are supposed to happen. I know it's not much consolation, but it's the truth."

Sirius sighed and lifted her chin to gaze into her sad, tear soaked face. He simply stared at her for a moment before brushing a fresh tear from her cheek with his thumb and lifting it to his lips. Erin watched as his tongue darted out to catch the tiny droplet and she felt a tingle of awareness in her belly.

He leaned toward her until their noses were nearly touching. "I don't know if it makes any difference, but I'm happy you're here."

His face was so close. His dark grey eyes were boring into hers and his soft-looking lips were parted just so. Erin could practically feel them caressing hers as his sweet warm breath played on her heated skin. It would be so easy just to lean up and capture those lips. How sweet would it be to let him kiss away all of her worries; to let herself go and allow him to take away the pain for a while?

It took every ounce of energy she possessed, but Erin managed to pull away. She was so vulnerable that her inhibitions were teetering dangerously, but as much as she wanted to, she knew that she couldn't use him for her own selfish relief. It just wouldn't be right. And besides, she didn't want to ruin what was becoming a wonderful friendship.

She saw a flash of disappointment in his eyes as she stepped out of his embrace. "I'm sorry," she said weakly. "I'm such a wreck right now. I never meant to heap my troubles onto you and then turn into a watery mess. I'm sorry if I've made you uncomfortable. I didn't mean to blubber all over you."

"It's okay," he murmured. "I'm sorry that you have to face all of this. It must really be hard for you, and if I can help at all, I'm more than willing to do so."

"Thanks," She sniffed, as she wiped the tears from her face. "I feel a bit better just talking about it. You're a really good person and I'm glad I met you."

Sirius chuckled lightly. "The pleasure has been all mine, believe me. Now, why don't you set out the food while I try and distract you with some tales from my rebellious youth?"

Erin didn't think it was possible, but the outrageous tales he told of his schoolboy days did manage to make her forget her troubles for a while. At one point she was laughing so hard that he had to slap her back to keep her from choking.

Finally as dusk approached she knew she needed to head back. Sirius' stories had managed to keep her mind occupied all afternoon, which was more than she ever could have asked for. Truth be told, she didn't want to leave.

She knew that as soon as she left him, the bad thoughts would return. Sirius must have noticed her hesitation because he walked to her side to wrap an arm around her shoulder.

"I want to say it'll be okay, but you would know better than anyone," he smiled.

She sighed deeply and gave a slow nod. "Eventually it will, I suppose."

Erin looked up at him and a frown touched her lips. "It will be weeks before we can talk again. I'm really going to miss you."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that we'll meet again," he grinned. "But until then, just remember that I'm only an owl away."

Sirius looked down into her sad, worried face. "Oh, sweetheart," he murmured as he pulled her to him. "I know that there's nothing I can say that will really make you feel better, but know this; as long as you're here, and as long as I'm able, I will be there for you when you need me." He bent down and kissed her lightly on the forehead before hugging her tightly. "I promise."

Erin hugged him back with all of her might, and then she turned and practically ran from the cave. He didn't need to see the fresh stream of tears rolling down her cheeks at his proclamation. Once again she prayed fervently for a way home because as sad as Cedric's death would be, there was another, more terrible loss on the horizon. Until that moment she hadn't even thought of it, but in little more than a year the man who had so quickly become her best friend in the world would fall.

...

Did you love it, hate it, or think it was just okay? Let me know in the **reviews**!


	8. Decisions

Sorry for the delay, but the new chapter is finally here. There aren't a whole lot of surprises in this chapter, but it fills in the gaps of what is to come and helps to set up the more interesting parts of the story.

Now, I know that quite a few people are reading this fic and lots are adding it to their favorites but not many of you are reviewing. Let me tell you that reviews are balm for a writer's soul. Not only does it make us feel that our hard work is appreciated, but it helps to get the chapters out faster. Therefore, if you want me to make writing this story a priority in my very, very busy life; **I'd suggest you start reviewing!** It doesn't have to be much. Even just a few simple words will do. I really want to know what you think! Feedback, people! I needs it!

So on to the story:

(Disclaimer: I do not own anything having to do with Harry Potter. I am only playing with it!)

…...

Chapter 8

May rolled into June far too quickly for Erin. In an attempt to stop thinking about the clock ticking away the seconds of Cedric's life, she willingly tried to bury herself in work. That wasn't a hard thing to do as she was already drowning in assignments. What was difficult however, were the long, sleepless nights.

Erin would force herself to study until she simply couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. She hoped that her exhaustion would dull her mind and allow her to fall asleep quickly, but the moment her head touched the pillow her eyes would snap open and the dark thoughts would inevitably creep in.

It finally got to the point where she was taking sleeping draughts every single night.

She could tell Severus was alarmed when she asked him for a case of the potion, though he didn't argue other than to warn her that the more often she took it, the stronger its effects would become. Erin didn't mind that at all. The only thing she wanted to do was sleep until July when this whole horrid school year would be over.

The exams were set to begin on the fourteenth of June; just a week before the final task. It was a stressful time for everyone, so Erin's nearly manic behavior went practically unnoticed.

The days leading up to the exams were chaotic. The seventh and fifth years were scrambling to prepare for their respective tests, but no one worked harder than Erin. Her magical education was spotty at best and shortly they were going to assess her skills on subjects the other kids had been learning for years, not months. Thankfully her tutors agreed to work on only the things they knew would be included. It was cheating in a way, but everyone agreed it was for the best.

Finally the week of exams arrived and as Erin sat each one, she found that the insane amount of studying had paid off. Nothing seemed overly trying, but that was most likely the result of her determined tutors.

When it was all over, and each test was behind her, she wished she could relax and rejoice like the rest of the student population but there was no part of her that wanted to celebrate. What was there, after all, to be happy about? There were only three days left before the beginning of the end. There were only three days left of Cedric's life. It was going to happen and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

The dark cloud hanging over her head was more than obvious to everyone, most especially to Melody. For an entire day Melody, Jessica, and Moira tried to force her to join in their carefree revelry, but when it became clear that their efforts were fruitless, they attempted to cajole her into coming clean with why she was so depressed. Their pestering became so tiresome that finally she just lied and told them that she was likely coming down with some illness.

She could tell that they didn't really believe her, but ultimately they decided to allow her to hide away behind the curtains of her bed which was just fine for Erin. She was exhausted, and as luck would have it, she still had several vials of sleeping draught left.

It was cowardly, she knew, to hide from everything behind a veil of sleep. However, given the choice between spending three days sick with guilt over her inability to stop the future from happening, or simply sliding into oblivion until the whole horrid affair was over, she preferred oblivion.

On the morning of the task the excited atmosphere of the school was enough to break through her nearly impenetrable haze of sleep. Erin tried to shut it out but she was so famished that she knew there was no choice but to forego the potion long enough to force some sustenance down her throat.

To her dismay the Great Hall was abuzz with frenzied activity. People were literally bouncing in their seats as they discussed what amazing feats they hoped to witness that evening. Erin tried to ignore them as she dragged herself to the far end of the Gryffindor table, but as she sat down the excited chatter only seemed to get louder.

"Well, I hope we get something more exciting than last time," a boy to her left complained. "Standing there just staring at a dark, cold lake for an hour was so _boring_!"

"The dragons from the first task were pretty cool," a sixth year girl shrugged. "Maybe they will have something even cooler this time, like, chimaeras or something."

"Chimaeras would be cool," a fourth year boy agreed. "But banshees would be way better!"

Erin grimaced and turned away in an effort to block them out. She knew without a doubt that this task would be unforgettable – just not in the way anyone expected.

On her right a small group of seventh years were discussing which champions they thought stood the best chance of winning. Obviously they hoped that Harry would win so they could rub it in the Slytherins' faces, but they were willing to settle for Cedric so long as it was a Hogwarts victory.

How badly she wanted to tell them that there would be no winner tonight.

It was too much to bear, and Erin had just decided to flee back to the sanctuary and relative silence of her bed when Melody and the girls sat down.

"Erin, it's good to see you awake!" Melody smiled happily. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Not really," she mumbled, wiping away freshly forming tears before anyone saw them and began questioning her again.

"Well, I hope you feel better soon," Jessica frowned. "The last task starts at dusk and you simply _must_ come watch it with us."

Erin grimaced and forced herself to take a bite of eggs even though her wildly churning stomach protested. She knew that the sooner she ate something, the sooner she could leave and she wanted nothing more than to escape this cheerful hell. "No, I really don't think I'm up for it," She grimaced, rubbing at her empty, aching stomach.

"You have to come!" Melody whined pleadingly. "You can't miss this! It's the last task and a Gryffindor is competing. You have to help us cheer him on!"

"I'm sure you'll do fine without me," she sighed. "I just really feel horrible and all I want to do is sleep."

"Jeez, you really must be sick if you're willing to miss this," Moira said worriedly. "Maybe you should go to the hospital wing."

Erin nodded in agreement, all the while knowing that nothing could be done there to fix what ailed her. Only sleep and time could give her the relief she needed. "Yeah, maybe I'll do that if I still feel bad after a long nap."

"Well, should we check on you before we head out?" Jessica asked brightly. "You know, in case you're feeling better and want to join us?"

"No!" She responded more harshly than she meant to. Their persistence was becoming annoying. Couldn't they see that she just wanted to be left alone? Erin saw them frown and exchange surprised and confused looks at her outburst. She instantly felt bad. It wasn't their fault that she was so upset, and they were just trying to be nice and include her in what they thought would be a good time.

"I'm sorry," She murmured sincerely. "I didn't mean to snap. It's just that I really feel terrible and all I want to do is rest."

"It's okay," Moira smiled shyly. "It just sucks that you have to miss it."

Erin tried to return her smile, but it was feeble at best. "I know, but I'm just not up for it. You guys can tell me all about it later, but I think I'm just going to go back to bed now." She stood then and practically tripped over her own feet as she hurried away, leaving her friends and their concerned expressions behind her.

The tower was deserted when she entered, which was just what Erin hoped for. She didn't think she could handle seeing anymore jubilant, anticipatory faces. If these people only knew the terrible things that awaited them tonight they wouldn't be so damned excited.

Once back in the dorm, Erin pulled out her last two vials of the sleeping draught. In two swift movements she swallowed all of one and half of the other, fervently hoping that it would be enough to keep her asleep for the next ten hours or so. She wanted to make sure that nothing would disturb her until well after the task was over. The potions immediately began to take effect, and Erin welcomed the encroaching darkness with relief. As she curled up on the bed to await sweet oblivion she sent out a silent goodbye to a young man who had barely begun to live, and a quick prayer for one whose life would never be the same again.

….

"Wake up!"

The urgent voice sounded like it was wafting through an ocean of fog. It was so quiet and so far away that Erin wasn't even sure it had been a voice at all, but then she heard it again.

"Please, you must wake up!"

Erin was floating peacefully in a place devoid of light, noise, and most especially, pain. She wasn't ready to leave yet because she knew that once she did, her heart would begin to break again so she tried to ignore the shrill and demanding voice that seemed so determined to disturb her. Why did it insist on yelling like that? Why did it sound so upset? Why couldn't it just leave her alone to drift with the soothing nothingness?

"Erin Sharp, I insist that you wake up this instant!"

The voice was even shriller than before, and to her dismay it was also much closer. Erin felt reality begin to seep in and no matter how hard she fought it was ripping the peace and solitude away. It took a dedicated amount of effort, but eventually she managed to pry one eye open.

Professor McGonagall was standing next to the bed with a look of panic and agony on her face. When she saw that Erin was finally awake she seemed slightly relieved, but still quite disturbed.

"Ms. Sharp, you must get up and come with me!" She demanded impatiently. "Professor Dumbledore has requested your presence. It is urgent and we must move quickly, so please, get up now!"

Erin knew without a doubt the reason the normally stoic professor looked as if she were about to shatter. _Oh, God!_ She thought miserably, _it's happened_. She moaned as she turned her face to the pillow. Strangely, there was no pain; only an empty numbness that filled her up until it threatened to consume her.

She could still feel the dragging effects of the potion as she forced herself to sit up. It took far more strength than it should just to lift a hand to wipe the sleep from her eyes.

"You must hurry!" Professor McGonagall pressed. "There isn't much time!"

Erin nodded and heaved herself to her feet. Once she was up, the older woman grabbed her arm, both to steady her, and to force her feet to move. They jogged at a brisk pace out of the tower and toward the gargoyle that led to Dumbledore's office.

The headmaster was pacing the floor as they approached but once he spotted them he leveled Erin with an imposing, worried stare.

"I assume that you know why I sent for you?" He said quickly.

Erin nodded once and then dropped her eyes to the floor.

Dumbledore sat down behind his desk and sighed deeply. "It would seem that the Triwizard Cup was actually a portkey which transported both Harry and Mr. Diggory to an unknown location when they simultaneously touched it. Mr. Diggory was killed and Harry was apparently forced to witness the rebirth of Lord Voldemort. He barely managed to escape and return to the castle grounds."

He sighed again and rubbed the bridge of his nose in agitation. "In the midst of the chaos Harry was brought back to the castle by Professor Moody. I am familiar enough with Alastor to know he would never take Harry from my sight after such a horrendous occurrence and I was able to intervene before he harmed the boy. As it turns out, Professor Moody was actually a Death Eater named Barty Crouch Jr. in disguise. We found the true Alastor Moody in the bottom of his trunk where he had been held captive since the beginning of the school year. Sadly, before we could thoroughly question Mr. Crouch he was kissed by one of the Minister's dementors. Harry is currently in the hospital wing recovering from his ordeal. Now, tell me, Erin, are these the events as they happened in your books? Is this what you were trying to warn me about?"

"Yes," she said flatly. "These are the events that take place at the end of the fourth book."

"So he really has returned," Professor McGonagall murmured wearily. Erin glanced up at the elderly Transfiguration professor. She seemed to have aged ten years in the last day; as if all of her strength and energy had had been siphoned away, leaving her bowed and defeated.

"Yes, he has," Erin said in a monotone voice. "So, what will you do now?"

Dumbledore stood and resumed his pacing. "I have sent Sirius to gather the former members of the order, just as I have called upon Arthur Weasley to begin recruiting again. It will be difficult since the Minister refuses to believe the evidence before him. Likely he is already formulating a plan to downplay the night's events."

"Such foolishness!" McGonagall spat hotly. "Without his support we will be fighting a two-fold battle and in the end all he will accomplish is to leave our people unprepared and vulnerable."

"Indeed," The aged headmaster sighed. "I'm afraid that the Order will have to be much more cautious than before as Cornelius will likely mistrust all of my actions from now on. He has never understood that I have no want of his office, and because of his fear that I will try and usurp his position, he has, in the past, allowed me much liberty. Now, I'm afraid, he would consider a reconvening of the Order as a personal threat against him. No doubt all of my actions will be closely monitored from now on."

"Where will the Order meet then?" McGonagall asked. "At the Burrow?"

"No," Dumbledore responded instantly. "I could never endanger Arthur's career like that. Besides, Cornelius is well aware that the Weasley family was part of the original Order. The Burrow would be too obvious a location as he may decide to place it under surveillance. Indeed, I think I will suggest that Arthur and Molly add extra protective spells to their home, if they have not already done so."

"Where then, Albus?" Minerva frowned. "Where can we meet that no one would suspect?"

Dumbledore crossed his arms as he thought, and before she realized what she was doing, Erin spoke up.

"Grimmauld Place."

"What was that?" He asked, turning his twinkling eyes toward her.

"Sirius' parents home," She said. "Number 12, Grimmauld Place."

Albus and Minerva exchanged a very significant look as they considered her words.

"That might work," the older woman said hopefully. "Albus, that might work perfectly! The house is already unplottable and no one has lived there since Walburga died ten years ago. Who would suspect that the Order might congregate in the former home of known Dark supporters?"

Dumbledore was scrutinizing Erin with a shrewd, penetrating stare. "Is that were we are meant to convene, Erin?"

She nodded. "Yes. In the book Sirius offers his family home for this use. Once it is under the fidelius charm, it works perfectly. Well, mostly. The Black family's house elf Kreacher still lives there, but he is bound to the magical laws that govern all house elves and must obey Sirius as his master."

He gave her a wan smile. "Well then, I will discuss it with him at the first opportunity. Thank you, Erin. At least that is one problem solved."

"And still about a million to go," Minerva groused. "What do we do next?"

"Until Severus returns, I believe our time is best spent preparing," Dumbledore told her. "We have much planning and to do, and I believe it is best to not overburden ourselves until we have more information on what Voldemort intends to do next. On that note; Erin, I want you to return to your dormitory now. I will call for you again tomorrow, but for now I think it would be best if you got some rest. "

He gave her a gentle pat on her shoulder. "I am aware of how stressful these last weeks have been on you and now that I know the greater cause of your distress, I am sorry to have overburdened you. Classes will be cancelled for the remainder of the term in light of this tragedy, and I want you to spend as much time as possible recuperating. Don't worry about your tutoring for now. All I want is for you to be well again."

Erin was still feeling the pull of sleep from taking so much of the draught, so the prospect of going back to bed sounded wonderful. Not to mention the fact that her general emotional numbness had not yet dissipated. She stood and gave both professors a feeble half nod and then silently made her way back to the dorms, and her warm, comfy bed.

It was mid morning before the haze of sleep finally wore off. Erin lay there for a few moments deciding whether or not to face the day and the aura of shock and despair she knew would surround all of the castle's inhabitants. Eventually she reasoned that she could not hide away any longer, especially when Dumbledore might summon her at any second. So, with dragging feet she gathered up her things and took a quick yet thorough shower and then made her way down to the common room.

There were only about a dozen or so people milling about and yet the air still seemed thick with grief. People were either speaking in hushed voices, or they were mute with shock. There was no excess noise anywhere; not even from out in the halls or on the grounds. A dark pallor seemed to have fallen and it showed clearly on the pale, tear-lined faces of the people around her.

Melody, Jessica and Moira were all sitting in their usual corner. They were whispering quietly amongst themselves until Erin approached and then all eyes turned to her. Melody gave her a small, watery smile as she sat in the open chair nearest them.

"How are you?" She asked. "Do you feel any better?"

Erin was touched that in light of what they had just witnessed, they still seemed quite concerned for her health. She had fully expected to be immediately inundated with the gory happenings of the previous night. She returned the smile with a small one of her own. "Yes, a bit better," she shrugged.

"Good," Melody nodded absently. "I'm sorry we tried to push you into going with us last night. Honestly, I wish I had stayed in bed myself. Have you heard about what happened?"

Erin shook her head. She was supposed to have been laid-up all night, so she knew to keep up the appearance of ignorance. "No, but obviously something happened to make everyone so solemn."

"Cedric Diggory was killed last night," Jessica told her, as a fresh tear slid down her already moist face.

"Oh, my God!" Erin gasped, making sure to look appropriately shocked and appalled. "What happened?"

They proceeded to tell her about how Harry had suddenly appeared from the maze, all bruised and battered, along with the Cup and the body of Cedric Diggory in his hands. How at first no one realized anything was wrong until people began screaming and the teachers ordered them all to back away.

"It was terrible." Moira sniffed. "I'll never get the sound of his mother screaming out of my head. I've never witnessed so much pain and suffering in my life. That poor woman!" She began to cry again as well and Jessica put a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"No one knows what exactly caused it yet," Melody frowned. "But from the state of Harry when they took him away, I'd say he's lucky to be alive. I don't know what sort of horrible things were in that maze, but obviously they went too far when they set it up."

"When we came down this morning there was a notice posted that said classes were cancelled until the end of term," Jessica said, motioning toward the notice board. "I guess they figure we won't be able to concentrate. It's just as well. I couldn't sleep a wink last night. Every time I closed my eyes I'd see him lying there. I'd never seen a dead body before. Now I'll never forget it."

"It's not right!" Moira hissed painfully. "He was so young. He was one of us! People our age are not supposed to die!"

"No, we're not," Melody agreed darkly. "There is no reason this should have happened."

Erin didn't know what to say to them. The pain they felt showed plainly on each of their faces, and she knew there was nothing she could do to make it any better. They had known Cedric since the day they arrived at the castle to be sorted seven years ago, so she knew how deeply this tragedy touched them. Seeing a friend die, even if he was not a close friend, was bound to be terribly traumatic.

Thankfully Erin did not have to attempt to come up with any meaningful words of comfort as Professor McGonagall came for her then. For the benefit of the other girls, she said that Erin was needed for a minor issue regarding her exams. This excuse did not seem to raise any suspicions or question from the girls, and Erin was extremely relieved to get away. She was dealing with enough stress and grief to add anyone else's to it.

Once again Minerva led her to Dumbledore's office where a small group of people waited. Both Sirius and Remus were in attendance and when they saw her, they took turns hugging her. Now that they knew the terrible burden she had carried these last weeks, they were more than sympathetic with her vulnerable emotional state. It was Sirius, however, who held her the longest, and for that moment she felt the comfort she so desperately craved.

"How are you?" He murmured in her ear.

Erin chuckled dryly at the question since he knew all too well the answer. "I've been better," she breathed, holding him tightly to her.

Finally she pulled away, and turned toward the large desk where Dumbledore stood. He inclined his head at her and then waited until he had the attention of the room to begin speaking.

"As you are all aware, the time has come once more to unite against the forces of darkness. It is as we have always feared; Lord Voldemort has returned. Last night Harry Potter witnessed his rebirth into human form. According to Mr. Potter, Voldemort has already begun summoning his still-faithful followers, and we believe he will begin recruiting new ones immediately. We suspect that he will waste no time in creating an army even greater than the one he led during the previous war. Therefore we cannot afford to delay. We must once again unite against him. We must revive the Order."

"Sirius and Remus," he said nodding to the two men in turn, "…have spent these past few hours contacting each surviving member of the former Order. Gentlemen, have your efforts been successful?"

"We have managed to contact a few of our former members," Remus told him. "But they are hesitant to help. Many refused to believe that Voldemort has risen again. If the Ministry insists on denying the evidence and stands against us, I don't know how easy it will be to re-recruit them."

"Do they think we are lying to them?" Minerva asked shrilly. "Do they believe Albus would lie about something like this?"

Remus shook his head. "There were so many losses last time. I think it is fear that clouds their judgment. They don't want to face the idea that he has returned."

Dumbledore nodded wearily. "Time will prove that we are right. Sadly, time is not something we have much of. How about you Arthur? Have you been able to recruit any new members?"

Erin looked over and blinked in surprise as she recognized Arthur Weasley and his wife Molly. The Weasleys looked much like she had imagined. Arthur was tallish with thinning red hair and out-of-date glasses, and Molly was shorter with a somewhat plump figure dressed in what seemed to be hand-made clothes. They looked like pleasant people, and Erin rather hoped she would have the chance to get to speak with them sometime.

"My son Bill and I have written down the names of several possible candidates for your consideration," Arthur said. He handed Dumbledore a rolled up piece of parchment. "We are ready to approach them as soon as you like."

"Albus?" Molly said, as he looked over the names on the scroll. "Should we be talking about this now? Surely these matters should not be discussed in front of students."

Dumbledore glanced up at her and smiled sadly. "Normally, Molly, I would agree with you. However, in this case there are extenuating circumstances. As everyone in this room is a trusted friend, I have no doubt that you will each be discreet with what I am about to share with you. I also know that you will not doubt my words, as they are the truth."

His bespeckled eyes settled on each person in turn before he continued. "This young woman's name is Erin Sharp, and she is not of our world."

His statement was met with a low murmur of confusion, and he waited a moment for it to settle before continuing with his explanation.

"Erin comes to us from a parallel reality where our very existence is a work of fiction. Some months ago she was mysteriously transported from her home in the year 2010, into our school where she was discovered wandering the halls by Professor Snape.

In her reality she is a grown woman with two small children. However, when she awoke here she had somehow reverted to her own seventeen year old form. Erin was quite confused as to where she was, and how she came to be here. You see, in her world all of this; everything we have and are going to experience, is the plot of a series of fictional books that she has read many times. Once I concluded that she was telling the truth, I decided that the best way to protect her was to keep her nearby.

In her world magic as we know it does not exist, however since she has come here, she has proven that not only can she now wield magic, but she is quite talented with it. It was my wish that she learn how to use her magic properly and as such she has attended classes as a seventh year student with extra tutoring to supplement the lessons she would have learned had she been born a witch."

"And you believe that what she says is the truth?" Molly said, once she got over her shock at his words.

"Yes, I do," The aged headmaster replied firmly. "Severus and I both tested her knowledge and she proved herself to both of us."

"To me as well," Remus added. "I've been tutoring her in defense against the dark arts, and as such I have gotten to know her quite well. There is no doubt in my mind that Erin's story is true."

"I was just as stunned as you are," Sirius told her. "But she knew things about me that few others know. I believe her, and more than that, I trust her. She has shown me more kindness in the last few months than I have had my entire life."

"Preposterous!" A deep voice growled from the other side of the room. "If this girl knew of our future, then why didn't she warn of what was to come?"

Erin looked around and saw a thin, pale version of Mad-eye Moody staring back at her suspiciously. He looked much worse for wear from his months-long imprisonment in the magical trunk.

"That's true, Albus," Molly frowned. "If she knew what was going to happen, why didn't she do something about it? How could she allow that boy to die? How could she not tell us what You-know-who had planned? We could have stopped all of this from happening!"

"Because I asked her not to."

All eyes turned to Dumbledore, who met their disbelieving gazes with the steady stoicism of one who firmly believes in and accepts the course of his decisions.

Molly was staring at him open mouthed. "But…_why_? Albus, if you knew this was going to happen why didn't you do something to stop it?"

He began pacing again. "I did not allow Ms. Sharp to share any details of what would happen, but I knew from her tone and agitation that something terrible awaited us." He paused and turned to face them. "I believe it is best that we do not have forewarning of our future. Harry Potter is our best hope and if we change the things that are meant to happen he might not be able to fulfill his destiny. Therefore I must ask all of you to refrain from questioning her about anything yet to come."

"But, the things she knows could help us," Arthur argued. "With the knowledge that this young lady claims to possess we could stop anymore deaths from happening. We could have prevented this tragedy. We could have stopped Voldemort from rising again. How can we not utilize what may be our greatest asset?"

"What guarantees do we have that by using her knowledge we won't simply be delaying events instead of preventing them, or worse, what if by interfering we inadvertently accelerate the timeline and force Harry to face an evil he is entirely unprepared for? No, Arthur. I believe that we must allow our lives to play out as they are intended."

"What do we do with the girl, then?" Mad-eye growled. "If she is of no use to us?"

"Erin has proven to be a very capable witch," Dumbledore said evenly, giving her a small nod. "I think with more training she could be a great ally, and if she agrees, a wonderful addition to the Order."

Erin couldn't contain her gasp. He wanted her to join the Order of the Phoenix? It was an unexpected honor, to be sure, but how could she agree all the while knowing how perilous the future for these people was about to become? If she became a member of the Order her life could be at risk too.

She glanced over and saw the same surprise mirrored on Sirius' face. But there, instead of worry she saw excitement. Likely he was thinking that if she were an Order member they could see each other more often.

That was something, actually. Throughout the fifth book it was painfully clear how miserable Sirius was trapped in his ancestral home. Sure, there were other people always coming and going but other than Remus (and Harry when he was on holiday) there was no one for him to really talk to. Beyond feeling useless, his main complaint seemed to be loneliness. If Erin joined the Order, there would likely be plenty of excuses for her to visit him regularly. How wonderful would that be?

"You don't have to answer now," Dumbledore told her gently. "I know you have much to consider."

"Yes," Erin said, her eyes still on Sirius' hopeful face. "I want to help."

Sirius' expression lit up and she couldn't help but smile back at him. If she was going to be stuck here, she might as well be around the people she knew and trusted. She would likely be safe enough as long as she wasn't put in the thick of things and what were the odds of that happening? She was a novice and Dumbledore knew it. It was unlikely that she'd see any real action, and maybe the information she had would finally be useful. Besides that, she could be so good for Sirius' tenuous emotional state.

"I don't like this Albus," Molly huffed. "But I trust that you know what you're doing. So, what is our next move? What should we be doing now?"

"We need to setup a headquarters," Dumbledore said to everyone. "I believe that is the most pressing matter."

"We will gladly offer our home for the Order," Arthur announced firmly, and Molly nodded at his words.

Dumbledore smiled at the brave ginger couple even as he shook his head. "No, Arthur. I cannot allow that as it would be too dangerous for your family. We need a place that is not associated with any known Order member. Thankfully, I believe we have found a place that no one would ever suspect. Sirius has graciously offered the use of his ancestral home at Grimmauld place."

"But Albus," Molly interjected. "That place is likely full of dark magical items. Plus, no one has lived there in over a decade. Who knows what condition it's in now…if it's even livable?"

"Sirius and I visited there earlier this morning, and though it is in need of repairs and a thorough cleaning, all of the protective spells are still in place. I do not exaggerate when I say that the work needed to set it aright will take quite a bit of time and effort, however, I firmly believe that we could not ask for a better location. The property is unplottable and no one would suspect the Order of utilizing the home of a former dark family. I have already cast the Fidelius charm upon it and have become its secret keeper."

Molly sighed and then nodded resolutely. "If you are certain about this then I offer to oversee the renovations. After the children are out of school for the summer perhaps we can stay there for a while and start fixing it up. It would be easier and safer than apparating everyday."

"That's a fine idea," he nodded. "As long as Sirius agrees as he will be living there full time."

"It's okay with me," Sirius shrugged. "I really wasn't looking forward to tackling that mess all by myself."

"Excellent!" Dumbledore smiled. "Then it is settled. Now, everyone listen closely. The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is located at number 12 Grimmauld Place."

Instantly the exact location of the building flooded Erin's mind as if she had been familiar with it her whole life.

"We will plan our first official meeting for the third of July after the students have safely gone home for the summer. Until then I must beg you to exercise caution with whom you interact with. Sadly, even the Ministry cannot be trusted. I must ask that you only speak to those you trust. That is all for now unless there are any other issues that cannot wait?"

Everyone shook their heads, trusting in the headmaster to begin formulating plans of action. They were dismissed then and the small gathering began to disperse. Erin turned to bid farewell to both Sirius and Remus when Dumbledore stepped toward them.

"Erin, may I have a word? He inquired easily. "And with you two gentlemen as well, if you don't mind."

Erin nodded slowly, concerned that he had suddenly changed his mind about her participation in the Order. Thankfully that was not the issue. What he went on to say was a huge surprise to each of them.

"It has been no easy decision as to where you should go once your schooling is complete," he told her. "My original thought was that you should stay with one of our trusted allies, such as the Weasley family. However, these recent events have opened an unexpected and well timed door and I think it would be best, with Sirius' consent of course, that you reside at our new headquarters. It would be an ideal location for both your safety, and for the continuation of your magical training. Therefore, I would also ask that Remus reside there as well. That way he would be on hand to help with your education. Would this arrangement be agreeable to each of you?"

"Absolutely," Sirius said almost too eagerly.

Remus shrugged. "My lease is up in a few days, so I suppose that would be fine."

Erin chuckled at this new turn of events. Never once had it occurred to her that she might find herself in this sort of situation. Did he actually think she would oppose staying in one of the most protected homes in the magical world? Or that she might object to living under the same roof as two gorgeous, single men?

"If that's what you want," she agreed flippantly. "I have nowhere else to go, after all."

Dumbledore didn't seem surprised that they had agreed, though it did seem to lift some of his burden away. He told Erin to meet him in his office early on the morning of the third. Until then she was not to speak to anyone of what had transpired. Instead she was to simply tell her friends that she would be returning home to America once the school year ended. It would be easier for everyone if no one knew she was still around.

She understood his position even though it saddened her that she would have to cut ties with her new friends. Still, there was much to look forward to. Living in Grimmauld place with Sirius and Remus and participating in the secret plans of the Order was bound to be very interesting. And for once, Erin was not dreading what tomorrow might bring. She would save that for next summer when all hell would break loose.


	9. A new home

Hello all! Sorry for the huge delay with this chapter but things have been really crazy for me.

Things are moving along in this chapter and I have big plans for the next two as well. Hopefully they will get out a bit faster than this one.

For now, I hope you enjoy - and if you do, please LET ME KNOW!

Review, review, REVIEW!

...

Chapter 9

The last week of school was one of mixed emotions, not just for Erin, but for pretty much everyone at Hogwarts. Even though the pallor of grief hung heavy in the air, the nice weather managed to coax nearly everyone outside. Even the most affected by Cedric's death had a difficult time maintaining their sorrowful mood once out in the bright sunlight. It actually annoyed Erin how fickle they seemed as they laughed and dipped their feet in the lake. If only they knew what the future held.

These last days within the castle were not too much different for Erin than before. It was decided that although there were no regular classes, she might as well continue with her tutoring. Dumbledore explained that there was still so much for her to learn that it didn't make sense for her to lose any time. His logic made sense, though Erin suspected that there was more to his reasoning than he admitted. She guessed that he was really trying to help keep her mind from wandering to those sad, dark places and if she had to admit it, she was grateful for his insistence.

As much as she secretly appreciated these continued evening distractions, without regular classes to keep her busy during the day there was ample time her thoughts to stray. It occurred to her a few days after the final task that she had been stuck in this reality for nearly five months. That meant she hadn't seen her children for nearly half a year. To a mother who had hardly gone a day without hugging her kids, half a year was pure torture. To make matters worse in a few short weeks, Cassie, her youngest daughter, would turn four. She prayed with renewed fervor that she was home by then. In her opinion nothing, not even cross dimensional travel, could excuse a parent missing their child's birthday.

Several times throughout the week she allowed Melody and the girls to coax her outside. She tried to join in with their happy, carefree chatter though it was often difficult. Still, she truly did attempt to let the sweet sunlight sooth her troubled mind. It helped too that soon she would have many more pleasant (and unpleasant) distractions to keep her occupied.

Until now Grimmauld place had been little more than a side note in the stories, but now that she was actually going to be residing there, it had become a thing of wonder and fantasy. She had an inkling of what to expect when she arrived there, but she knew it would still end up being amazing. Plus, she was quite looking forward to seeing Sirius again.

It was amazing how quickly he had become so dear to her. She never expected to find so wonderful a friend in this magical world; especially one so well-known and important to the stories. Sure, she appreciated the camaraderie she shared with Melody, Moira and Jessica, but somehow the soothing, often amusing comfort she received from Sirius was what she cherished the most. That was what made saying goodbye to them a bit easier.

On the last night of the school year as they were preparing to go down to the Great Hall for the end of year feast, Erin explained that she would likely be heading home to America soon. The girls seemed truly disappointed at this as they had hoped to share most of their last carefree summer with her, but they understood when she explained how much she missed her home and how she needed the time to decide on a career path. They acquiesced at that since they each would have to devote time to planning their futures though they made her promise to write often.

The feast was a difficult one and there were many tears as Dumbledore gave his eulogy speech for Cedric. And then the tears turned to gasps of shock and denial as he announced that it was actually Voldemort who had murdered the young champion. No one wanted to believe that the Dark Lord had returned and after the feast many people made it very clear that they thought the aged head master had finally lost his grip on reality. There was much unrest that night as the students argued amongst themselves. Those who supported Dumbledore stood toe to toe with those who backed the ministry, and several times duels and even fist fight had to be broken up by the prefects.

Very few people seemed well rested in the morning. Thankfully most were too occupied with last minute packing to engage in any more disagreements or confrontations. Breakfast was a harried affair as people raced to scarf down as much food as they could and still be ready when the time came to leave for the train. The imminent departure of both the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students made things even more chaotic.

It was during that time that Dumbledore approached Erin as she made her way through the crowded corridor.

"How are you today, Miss Sharp?" he asked congenially. "Are you nearly ready to leave?"

She shrugged lightly. "I suppose. It's not like I have much to pack."

He nodded and then smiled gently. "The end of the year is often difficult for many of our students. For seven years this school acts as a second home for them. Many make solid lifelong friendships here, and then for some this is the chance to say goodbye to those they know will fall to the wayside." He looked her over then. "Will you miss the friends you've made?"

Erin nodded. "They are good people," she told him sadly. "I wish I had known them longer."

He nodded again in understanding. "I am not in too great a rush to leave as I still have many pressing matters to attend to. Why don't you accompany your friends to the train and see them off, and then I will meet you on the platform and we can apparate from there? Don't worry about your things. They will be awaiting you at headquarters."

Less than an hour later Erin and the girls boarded one of the thestral pulled carriages together. It was very disconcerting. Even though she knew what manner of creature was jogging along in front of her, not being able to see it made the whole experience rather creepy. She had seen drawings of thestrals in her books (as no photographs existed), but hearing the thing, and not being able to visualize it made her uneasy. No one else seemed to have a problem with it, though and Erin tried to put it out of her mind.

The platform was insanely busy as people scrambled to locate their friends and make seating arrangements. Some were hugging as they separated into groups of four to fit comfortably in the cramped compartments. Melody smiled at her then.

"I wish you were coming with us," she said regretfully. "I really wish you weren't going home so soon."

"I know," Erin nodded. "I truly wish things were different as well, but I have to go. Don't worry. I promised to keep in touch, and I will for as long as I'm able."

Melody frowned at that, but didn't have time to question it as the last boarding call rang out.

"I'm going to miss you," she said and then she pulled Erin into a bone crushing hug. As soon as she let go Moira and Jessica pulled her toward them and hugged her tightly as well.

"Write soon!" they yelled as they climbed aboard the giant, hissing train, and with one last wave they vanished into the shuffling throng of bodies.

Erin sat down on one of the benches and watched the train slowly pull away from the station. Once it was out of sight she sighed and closed her eyes. There was a clenching in her heart at losing even more people who meant something to her. Honestly, she was emotionally drained. There had been simply too much loss in her life recently, and there really didn't seem to be an end in sight. She was wondering how much more she could possibly take when a voice broke in to her depressed reverie.

"Are you feeling well, Ms Sharp?" the deep, familiar voice asked.

Her eyes popped open and she gave a half hearted smile. "Hello, professor. Yes, I'm alright."

Snape nodded and then sad down heavily beside her. She looked him over and saw the barely hidden exhaustion and worry in his face. "How are _you_?"

Snape grunted in response and eyed her knowingly. "You know what I have to do now," he said flatly. "I'm sure you can imagine how I'm doing."

Erin sighed and then looked at the last place the train had been. "Isn't it amazing how quickly life can change?" she mused. "You're just going along living your life and then suddenly something happens that messes it all up and you are left scrambling to deal with it."

Snape nodded but said nothing, so Erin continued.

"I've heard before that life never gives you more than you can deal with at the time, but honestly that optimistic BS just gets on my nerves."

He gave a small coughing laugh at that before his features settled once more.

"Personally I think life likes to knock you on your ass, and then kick you when you're down." She knew she sounded bitter, but she didn't care. "Just once I want it to be fair, you know? I want good things to happen to good people and for the Evil to not prosper. I want karma to work like it's supposed to without all the delay."

"Speaking of fair," Snape interjected grumpily. "Why do you like _Sirius Black_?" He spat the name as if it left a bad taste on his tongue.

Erin scoffed lightly and then chuckled. "He's really not a bad guy," she told him and it was his turn to scoff.

"No, really," she insisted. "He's not. Granted, he hasn't always made the best decisions, nor has he always acted responsibly, but in his defense, his life has been pretty crappy."

Snape made a disgruntled noise. "He was a spoiled brat who used his name and his pretty face to charm his way out of trouble. His life was what he made it."

Erin frowned and turned to face him. His expression was sour, but there was a familiar air of pride in both his face and voice that made her smirk. "It's really funny how alike you two are," she mused.

"What?" Snape snarled, outraged, but Erin cut him off.

"No, really, it's true. You both came from troubled households. You both had turbulent, abusive parents and even though yours were poor and his had money you both had to look elsewhere for acceptance. In his case, he had to deal with the oppressive rhetoric of fanatical extremists who thought that anyone who was not of pure blood was beneath them. He was taught that to be acceptable meant that he had to conform perfectly to their ideal. Any deviation from that meant a very unpleasant existence for him. He learned through example that the righteous, acceptable people came only from Slytherin, which was why he came to hate that house and everyone in it."

His posture was rigid as he sat glaring at her but he did not interrupt, so she continued quickly, "On your first day, when you announced that you wanted to be in Slytherin he jumped to conclusions about you. He assumed you were just like his horrible parents and he decided, unconsciously, and albeit unfairly, that you were just another hate-monger in the making. It didn't help that you befriended people who were exactly that. Anyway, all of his childish pranks were just a way to act out against his upbringing. He was rebelling and you got caught in the middle. Now, I know that doesn't excuse his behavior, but it does explain it. Also, when you think about it he really only had a few happy years. He had to run away to find any joy and then it was ripped away by war and the deaths of his friends. He spent twelve years locked away in hell for a crime he didn't commit. He has suffered unfairly all his life. Just as you have. In your case you had to struggle to live up to the standards others put on you. You were treated as an outcast by both sides because you were half muggle and half wizard. Your father took out his frustration and inadequacies on you because he was jealous of what you and your mother could do and the wizarding world looked down on you because of your half-blood status. Like Sirius, you had to struggle to mold and shape a life for yourself where you might be happy and fulfilled. And like him, your happiness has always been short-lived and marred by pain and loss because of the paths you've chosen. So, you see, you two are not so different when all is said and done."

She could see that he wanted to argue. His face had gone all red and his eyes were narrowed menacingly, but eventually he seemed to calm and ponder her words.

"He's still an ass," he grunted darkly.

Erin chuckled. "Perhaps, but he is a sweet one."

He scoffed again and turned at the sound of approaching footsteps. Dumbledore was casually strolling toward them with an airy smile on his face.

"Severus," he nodded. "Thank you for keeping Erin company in my absence. You can go back to the castle now and get some rest. We will meet again when I return later tonight."

Snape stood and walked away without a backward glance and Erin worried she might have offended him, or crossed the line with her observations, but then Dumbledore turned to her.

"Severus has always had a hard time accepting the difficulties and failings of others; just as he has always had trouble accepting them in himself. I think deep down he has always known the reasons why he and Sirius never got along. Perhaps now that those reasons have been brought to his attention his deep rooted resentment will subside." He smiled broadly. "Then again, as you said, he and Sirius are very similar. They are both terribly stubborn and proud, so I doubt that there will ever truly be peace between them. Still, I think you have given him much to consider. Now, are we ready to depart?"

Erin blinked at him and then laughed. "What, were you crouched in the bushes spying on us?"

He said nothing, but his eyes twinkled merrily.

"Oh, whatever," she huffed, throwing her hands in the air in defeat at his aggravating mysteriousness. "Yes, I'm ready."

Dumbledore nodded once and then held his arm out to her. "Admittedly, apparition is not the most comfortable way to travel, but it is a time saver. Just make sure you hold on tight."

Before Erin could contemplate his words he turned slightly and the world seemed to fall away. It felt as if she were being pressed in on all sides by a thick, suffocating, vice-like fog, but before her brain could register panic, it was over and she opened her eyes onto a narrow suburban street. The houses before her were all very tall, and thin, though they looked quite cozy.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Dumbledore smiled. "Now, listen closely. The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is located at number 12 Grimmauld place."

The moment he said it the buildings in front of them seemed to stretch and a doorway that had previously been invisible suddenly appeared. As before, the moment he said the address the exact location of the home filled her mind as if it had always been there.

He led her to the door and it opened with a rusty creek. A visible billow of dust wafted out and made her eyes water and her nose tickle uncomfortably. Nearly everything on the inside was absolutely layered in thick, white dust and cobwebs. All of the paintings and wall hangings were filthy and moth eaten and the floor seemed alive as their footfalls agitated years of dirt and grime.

The only thing in the dilapidated hall that seemed untouched by years of neglect were the pristine velvet curtains that covered what Erin supposed was the cantankerous portrait of Mrs. Black. Dumbledore must have seen her eyeing them and he motioned toward them.

"The moment Sirius and I first arrived here she began to shriek at us. Since she seems to be permanently affixed to the wall we decided that curtains would be a vast improvement to the atmosphere of the house. Sadly, they only seem to slightly hinder her and any loud noises tend to set her off, so you may want to tread lightly if you wish to avoid her belligerent wrath."

Erin nodded, knowing full well how vile and vicious the hag depicted in the portrait could be. Thankfully the house was silent all but for the heavy ticking of a grand clock somewhere nearby and she made sure to step lightly as they made their way toward what ended up being the long, old fashioned dining room.

Sirius and Remus looked up from the table where they had been quietly chatting when she and Dumbledore entered the room. Instantly a bright, welcoming smile lit Sirius' face.

"Ah," he grinned. "We were just wondering what was keeping you." He stood then and pulled Erin into a warm, tight hug. "Did you run into any trouble on your way?"

"No, no," she assured when he finally allowed her to pull away. "Professor Dumbledore had some business to attend to, and I wanted to see some friends off. I'm sorry if we kept you waiting, though."

He shrugged lightly. "You're here now, and that's all that matters."

"Is there any news, Albus?" Remus asked, breaking in to the warm reunion.

"Not as yet," Dumbledore frowned. "But Severus has only just returned, and I have yet to debrief him. Though I suspect that our allies within the Ministry will have much to report on tomorrow at our meeting."

"Oh?" Remus asked, concerned. "Do you expect something to happen between now and then?"

Albus nodded gravely. "In a few short hours their children will return home. Doubtlessly they will waste little time in recounting the eulogy I gave for young Mr. Diggory in which I informed them of the return of Lord Voldemort, against Ministry wishes, of course. I would wager that by tomorrow the news of my announcement will have spread to the minister who will no doubt react badly to my continued defection."

Remus sighed. "I have already heard whispers that there are plans in the making to discredit you should you continue with your current course of action."

"Yes, I was aware when I stood against the Minister that I was opening old wounds. Cornelius has always insisted on believing that I want his job, and I fear he considers my persistence on this matter as a first step in usurping his position." He stroked his long beard absently as he spoke. "Sadly, it makes me fear for our future." His eyes wandered to Erin as he said the last, and she could see the curiosity shining in their depths.

"I fear the backlash this will cause," Remus scowled. "Those in the Ministry can be ruthless when they feel threatened. No doubt they are already preparing to slander and discredit you. The only question is, how far will they go?"

"We will have to wait and see," Albus agreed. "Well, unless there is anything more you need, Ms. Sharp, I must be going. Remus please let everyone know that they are to meet here at seven tomorrow night."

"Oh, don't worry, Albus," Sirius grinned. "I'll make sure she gets settled in nicely."

Dumbledore peered at him perceptibly over the top of his half-moon glasses and the ghost of a smile appeared. "I will leave it in your capable hands, then." He patted Erin reassuringly on the shoulder and bid them all farewell before taking his leave.

"So, what now?" Erin asked after a moment of awkward silence.

"Well, why don't I give you the grand tour then?" Sirius suggested. "This is obviously the dining room, though we usually just eat downstairs in the kitchen." He waved a hand across the expanse of the room. "Across the hall is the study." He placed a warm hand on the small of her back and led her though the dusty hall to a cozy, but equally dilapidated room.

"That door there," he pointed toward a connecting door on the far right of the room, "leads to the library." His tone was flippant and disinterested as he mentioned the room, but he saw her eyes light up with excitement. "Would you like to see it?"

"Yes!" she nodded brightly. "I love books!"

"Ah, well then hold on to your hat." He walked over and pushed open the old squeaky door. Erin gasped as she took in the wall to wall, floor to ceiling shelves of books. There was even a sliding ladder that went all the way around the room to give easier access to the taller shelves. All around the room were tall backed armchairs, and plush, but regal looking couches which invited one to sit for hours and read. In the very center of the room, just in front of a grand fireplace stood a gorgeous antique desk which held prominence over every other article of furniture there.

When he saw her admiring it, Sirius led her forward. "It was my father's," he told her, eyeing the opulent dark wood desk with disdain. "This whole room was his, really. He used to spend most of his time locked away in here reading, or penning letters of hate and propaganda to his lackey friends. The only time I ever saw him was when I was in trouble and my mother would send me in here for punishment. I remember being so small, while he looked so imposing glaring at me from behind this huge desk. Of course, as I grew I came to understand that he was nothing but a drunken bully who took pleasure in abusing those weaker than him." He looked around, frowning deeply. "I really hated this room. Of course, I never really cared for independent reading, either."

Erin looked up at him sympathetically and casually entwined her fingers with his in a show of comfort and solidarity. He smiled down at her and squeezed her hand. "Feel free to use this room whenever you want, but be warned that many of these books contain dark and dangerous magic, so don't go trying anything in them unless you know what it does first."

She assured him that she wouldn't and they left the room together. He pressed a finger to his lips and pointed toward the portrait on the wall significantly. Erin nodded and they continued on past the creepy stuffed elf heads and upward to the first floor.

"There's a bedroom and bath there," he told her, pointing to two doors just off the landing. "Remus is currently using them. Over here," he said as they rounded the corner of the hall, "Is the drawing room." He opened the door onto the large sitting room which was filled with what was once very opulent, feminine furniture, but was how just as disused and shabby as all of the other pieces in the house. Erin's eyes wandered to the family tree mural on the whole left side of the room, but she didn't mention it when she saw that he was purposefully avoiding looking at it.

"This was my mother's room," he spat darkly. "Use it however you want. Set fire to it for all I care."

He left the room without another word and she followed silently as they made their way to the next floor up. She had known how much he despised his parents, but seeing the barely contained hatred on his face really brought it home.

"This floor is all bedrooms and baths," he said. "Your trunk arrived about half an hour before you and I brought it up here. If you don't like this room, feel free to claim any of the others." He pushed open one of the doors to reveal a small but comfortable looking bedroom. Like all the other rooms in the house, it needed an extensive cleaning job but all in all it was perfect for her.

"No, I like it," she insisted. "It just needs a little love, and maybe some new linens." She eyed the mold stained sheets and pillow cases warily."

"It needs new everything, but we can take care of that later," Sirius said, giving the room a critical once over. "This is the only bedroom on this floor with an attached bath. I'm sure it's filthy as well."

Erin chuckled at the comical revulsion on his face. "Don't worry. I was a stay at home mom, remember? I'm not afraid of a little housekeeping."

His eyebrows hitched and a smirk blossomed on his lips. "We'll see, though I think you're underestimating the extent of this mess. Anyway, come on. Sadly, there's still more to see."

On the next floor he pointed out the two smaller bedrooms and then the master bedroom which had a huge hippogriff sleeping in it. "I've been bunking in here with Buckbeak," he told her, motioning to the enormous canopy bed which had been pushed haphazardly against the left wall. From the look of the wooden posts that supported the canopy it was obvious that Buckbeak had been using it to sharpen his claws. The floor was strewn with old issues of the Daily Prophet and there were partially chewed bones scattered everywhere.

"Nice," she said with mock appreciation.

Sirius chucked at her ironic tone. "Believe me, it's a vast improvement to how it was before."

After he showed her the top most floor which was made up of Sirius' childhood bedroom (which he avoided), Regulus' bedroom (which was locked), and the attic storage (which neither of them cared to explore), then they headed back downstairs.

The last stop was the basement, which seemed dingier by far than the rest of the house. "The kitchen is down here," he told her as they entered the hugely oversized space. It was nearly as large as the kitchens at Hogwarts. They sat down at the long wooden table that stood in the middle of the room (which could easily accommodate thirty people with room to spare) and Sirius summoned them a couple of Butterbeers.

"So, what did you think of the Great and Noble House of Black?" He grinned sarcastically.

"I can't believe that a family of four lived here," she shook her head. "It seems like such a waste of space. I once knew a family of eight who lived in a three bedroom shack."

Sirius leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms behind his head. "Yeah, well my family had money and power and they loved to throw it in the faces of their lessers. And their equals for that matter."

"I thought the house was unplottable?" Erin frowned in confusion. "How could anyone who wasn't invited even see it?"

He waved an airy hand. "It was more the fact that they HAD it. Having bragging rights was half the appeal for them. Besides, they would never besmirch the magnificent name of Black by living in anything less."

"How are you doing being back here after all these years?" she asked. Though his flippant, casual demeanor suggested indifference, his stiff tone during the tour painted an entirely different picture.

He sighed deeply. "I can't say I'm happy about it, but it could be worse. At least the people who once made it hell on Earth are long dead. That's something, I suppose."

At that moment a clattering, shuffling noise could be heard coming from a small cubby hole at the other end of the long room and a second later a filthy, bent, and ancient looking house elf emerged. It didn't seem to notice them at first, but as it trundled forward it finally seemed to realize that it was not alone.

It stopped moving and simply stared and Erin and Sirius for a long moment before its large eyes narrowed and it began muttering quietly to itself. Erin could not hear all that it said, but she was certain she caught the words, 'Filth, scum, and traitor,' before Sirius snapped at it to shut up and go clean something.

He was still scowling as he turned back to her. "Well, most of the people who made it hell are dead anyway. That was Kreature, my family's last house elf. It was an unwelcome surprise to discover _he_ was still alive. Apparently all he's done for the last ten years has been to shuffle around this place and talk to my mother's portrait. God knows he hasn't cleaned anything. He was always a rotten, nasty little blighter but I think he may have actually lost his mind being locked away in this place all alone with nothing but that evil, venomous old portrait to keep him company. I have no idea what to do with him. I don't want him around, but Albus says it would be a liability to dismiss him because he knows where I am. Personally, I'd like to kill him but I just can't bring myself to do it…yet."

Erin frowned at his words. There was a moment when reading the fifth book that she's wanted to kill the offensive old elf as well, but that was only after he had betrayed Sirius. Of course, that was before she knew more about him. She decided then to try and be as pleasant as possible to the aged elf. Maybe then he wouldn't treat everyone so rudely. If she could convince Sirius to be nicer to him as well, then maybe… But that course of action could change the future. It was a sticky situation, and one that would require much thought on her part. For the time being Erin was trying to do as Dumbledore wanted and let events unfold as they should, but there were things coming that she simply couldn't witness.

Sirius seemed to notice the distress in her expression and he said a gentle hand on hers. "Hey, I was only kidding. I wouldn't really kill him, even if he does deserve it."

She gave him a wan smile. "I know you wouldn't. You're an amazingly good man, Sirius."

He feigned a bashful face and flashed a crooked grin at her. "Aw, you're making me blush."

"It's true," she shrugged, and then she smirked playfully, "Even if you are a bit impulsive and juvenile at times."

He snorted at that. "Well, my name may be Sirius, but that doesn't mean I have to behave that way."

"Let the puns begin," Erin chuckled as she rolled her eyes.

He laughed with her for a moment and then they finished their butterbeers in silence. When they were done they made their way back to the dining room where Remus was reading though the Daily Prophet with a slight frown pinching his handsome, albeit weary face.

"Bad news, Moony?" Sirius asked as he sat down.

Remus sighed and tossed the paper down in mild disgust. "It's already beginning," he grumbled. "There's an anonymous opinion piece on page three which suggests that Dumbledore is too old and unstable to run the school."

"So?" Sirius shrugged. "It's just an opinion piece. Albus is quite aware that there are people who disapprove of the way he runs things. It's inevitable that the naysayers will crop up every now and again."

Remus sighed and shook his head. "That sort of malicious propaganda would never have made it to print even a week ago. They are already trying to taint the public opinion, and tomorrow it will be even worse."

"You can't let it bother you, Remus." Erin patted his shoulder soothingly. "You know the truth, and eventually everyone else will as well. Until then you must try and not let this stuff get to you. Besides, only the ignorant and easily led will believe this crap," she waved at the discarded paper. "And when the truth comes out they will realize how wrong they were and they will wish they hadn't been so foolish as to blindly follow the Ministry's lies."

He nodded grudgingly. "I know, but it still makes my blood boil." He shook his head and stood up; his long body stretching out as if he had been hunched over for too long. "Albus has never been anything but honest and forthright with the wizarding public. Everyone knows how crucial he was during the last two wars. To turn on him now…well, it's completely asinine." He shook his head again. "Well, anyway, I'm going to head to over to Diagon Alley. We are sorely lacking all of the essentials around here, including food. I will be back in a few hours."

He big them farewell and headed to the front door to disapparate. When he was gone, Sirius turned to Erin. "So, what would you like to do now?"

"Ah, I suppose I should get stared cleaning that bedroom if I want to be at all comfortable tonight," she sighed resolutely. It wasn't something she was at all looking forward to, but she knew that it absolutely needed to be done. Already she could feel her nose itch at the thought of all of the dust that awaited her.

Sirius nodded and pursed his lips in thought. "I can help you if you'd like. I mean, it's a huge mess and this is, for better or worse, my house. Besides, with two of us working it'll be faster and easier."

Erin chuckled lightly. "I think you're underestimating the task, but sure, I'd love your help. However, you should know that I don't cut corners and when I clean something I expect it to sparkle when I'm done."

Sirius grimaced slightly at the firm set to her mouth. For a moment he regretted making the offer, but ultimately the idea of helping her clean seemed far more interesting than sitting alone twiddling his thumbs. "Let's get to it then."

It was nearly six in the evening when Remus returned from his extensive shopping to find Sirius, dust covered and rather disgruntled, sitting alone in the kitchen with a glass of fire whiskey in his hand.

"That woman is crazy," the raven haired man complained.

Remus blinked in surprise at the announcement and then bade Sirius to explain his words.

"After you left she suggested she should clean her bedroom and like a fool I offered to help."

"So?" Remus shrugged, feeling rather confused. "I'm sure it needed it."

"Yeah, but she wouldn't let me use magic. She insisted that I get down on my hands and knees and actually scrub the floor!" Sirius looked absolutely appalled as he spoke. "She made me sweep and mop and wash everything by hand! The only things she let me use magic on were the doxy nests in the curtains. She said magic was okay for light messes and infestations, but that set in grime required 'elbow grease'. I didn't even know what elbow grease was! I thought it was a body ointment!"

Remus stared at the nonplussed look on his friend's face for a moment and then he burst into peals of laughter. It took several minutes for him to catch his breath, but when he was nearly calm he spotted the indignant glare Sirius had set on him and he began to chuckle again.

"Oh, come on. It couldn't have been that bad," he said, when he was once again in control of himself.

"I'd rather spend another decade in Azkaban than ever have to do that again!" Sirius grumbled. "She's a madwoman. Oh! And then, when we had finally finished the bedroom, she decided to tackle the bath. I cleaned a toilet today, Remus, by hand! It was repugnant!"

This time Remus had to sit down before his uncontrollable laughter sent him gasping to the floor. He was still snickering when Erin walked in. Her hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail and her clothes were even more dusty and work-worn than Sirius' were, and yet, to both men, she still managed to look quite charming. Remus noted that Sirius' stern eyes warmed when they fell on her and the indignant pull to his lips vanished as she smiled at them.

"What's so funny?" She asked, as she snagged a cool butterbeer from the countertop and took a long drink.

"Sirius was just telling me about his adventures with cleaning," Remus grinned. "He says you're quite particular with how things should be done."

Erin chuckled and nodded. "Yes, I suppose I am. The cleaning spells I know are quite useful for everyday tidying, but that mess needed much more than those feeble charms could handle. Sadly, his knowledge of household spells is not much greater than mine, so we had to do things the muggle way. Sirius did a fine job, I might add. Those rooms look nearly livable now."

"Nearly livable?" Sirius sputtered, crossing his arms angrily over his chest. "I could see my reflection in the porcelain when I was finished with that toilet!"

A fresh wave of laughter filled the room as both Remus and Erin took in the petulant look on Sirius' face. Erin was still laughing as she walked over to him and hugged his rigid body to hers. He loosened his defensive posture instantly at her close proximity and the annoyance in his face vanished at once.

"I'm kidding," she soothed, still hugging him. "The room looks amazing and you did a fantastic job. Thank you so much for your help."

"It was nothing," he smiled, and Remus lifted an eyebrow at him. Sirius could only shrug at his friend as he returned Erin's warm embrace.

When she finally pulled away, Erin turned back to Remus. "So, how was Diagon Alley? Did you get everything you needed?"

"I think so," he nodded. "I bought us enough food to last a week and I got new linens for the bedrooms. Here," he said, handing her several packages. "These are the bed clothes, pillows and towels for your room. I also bought you some toiletries, so you can start using your bathroom right away, if you like."

"Ah," she said, in a dreamy voice. "How I'd _love_ a hot bath."

"Me too," Sirius mumbled absentmindedly, his eyes still locked on her.

"Right," Remus said to her (with a half frown directed at his friend). "Well, why don't you go do that while we make dinner?"

Erin nodded happily and practically skipped from the room. When she was gone Remus leveled his gaze at Sirius.

"What are you thinking?" He asked sternly.

"What?" Sirius said innocently.

"She's too young."

"She's nearly our age, remember?" He shook his head and sighed. "Besides, I'm only playing. I am well aware of how emotionally fragile she is, and I don't want to do anything that might make her uncomfortable here. This is her home now and I don't want her to regret being here any more than she already does." He paused for a moment and a small, wicked smile blossomed on his face. "Still, she is something to look at, isn't she?"

"She's very beautiful," Remus agreed. "But, she is so much more than that. She is kind, and generous. Plus, she's very smart and eager to learn. All of these qualities put together make her unique but she also has that gentle innocence that makes you want to protect her. Add to that the fact that she is an extremely power witch, and you have someone who is almost unobtainable."

"And she's just upstairs," Sirius sighed longingly. "Naked, and soaking in a hot bath…"

"Sirius," Remus growled warningly.

"I know, I know!" The raven haired man grinned. "A man can dream, can't he?"

Dinner was a quiet affair since everyone was tired from the long day and after they ate and cleaned up they each retreated to their own bedrooms. Erin pulled her nightgown from her trunk and quickly changed. Then she spread the new sheets and blankets over the mattress Sirius had attempted to clean up for her earlier. It was still a bit stained and had a faint odor of age about it, but it was comfortable and soft.

Erin climbed into bed and snuggled down into the pillows before putting out the bedside light. She was nearly asleep when a loud thudding noise jarred her awake. A low rattling that seemed to come from the closet in the corner of the room made her heart skip and she jerked upright in the bed. She and Sirius hadn't bothered to open the small closet, thinking that she didn't really need to use it and so cleaning it right away hadn't been a priority. Now she wished they had at least glanced inside, because it seemed that something was trapped in there…and it wanted out.

Another series off loud bangs accompanied by a deep moan had her edging toward the opposite side of the bed. Through the dim shafts of moonlight Erin could see the doorknob begin to wiggle and she was on her feet in an instant. With a pounding heart she leapt into the hall and darted toward the master bedroom.

Sirius was lying in bed nursing a small glass of fire whiskey when he heard the urgent knocking at his door. He had been having a hard time falling asleep with all of the errant thoughts running around his head. Mostly he had been fantasizing about the incredibly lovely young woman who now shared his home. When sleep refused to come he had decided to encourage it with a small nightcap and he was just beginning to feel its effects when his peace was interrupted once more.

He felt a shimmer of annoyance as he threw off his warm blankets and ambled to his feet, but as he opened the door all of his angst fell away. Erin stood there dressed only in her simple white nightgown looking as if she might jump out of her skin at any moment. The fear in her eyes was palpable and he reached out to steady her as she trembled.

"What's wrong?" Sirius asked swiftly, his grey eyes searching the hall behind her for any hint of a threat.

"T-there's something in my closet," Erin whimpered. She felt like an idiot just saying the words. How many times had her children come to her with the same fear? How many times had she humored them and glanced in closets and under beds before kissing them goodnight and tucking them back in?

To her relief Sirius didn't laugh, or blow her off. Instead he nodded once and turned to grab his wand from the bedside table. She followed him at a safe distance as he made his way downstairs to her room and steadily approached the closet. It was silent now, and to her horror the door was slightly ajar. Still, Sirius opened it cautiously and peered inside.

"Well, whatever was in here is gone now," he told her. "Probably just a boggart. They can be quite active at night and they love dark enclosed spaces." He leaned over and checked under the bed and then the bathroom, just to be sure.

His words didn't do much to reassure her. Things like this were just fine when they were safely contained on the pages of a book, but to be faced with the reality of it truly terrified her.

When he was done searching the room Sirius returned to Erin's side. "There's nothing here anymore. I suspect whatever it was slipped out just after you did. Don't worry, we'll find it eventually."

Erin nodded slowly, trying to keep her fear in check. However, when Sirius bade her goodnight and tried to leave, she automatically reached for him. Puzzled he turned back to her. "What's up?" He asked.

The nervous anxiety was clear on her face and when he saw it his puzzlement was replaced with gentle understanding. "There's nothing to worry about," he told her soothingly. "Boggarts are rarely dangerous. Besides, this one has gone. It's probably hiding in some isolated cupboard or drawer by now. They don't really like people and will avoid them if they can and I suspect that when this one realized it was not alone, it decided to relocate. I doubt it will return so you don't have to be afraid to go to sleep."

Erin shuddered deeply at the thought of the thing, whatever it was, coming back during the night and her fingers tightened on Sirius' arm. She didn't really mean to say it, but the words were out before her brain could process what she was saying. "Will you sleep with me?"

Sirius' eyes popped at her words. "What?" he asked incredulously.

"Will you sleep here with me?" she corrected; a deep blush staining her cheeks. "In my bed? Or yours, if you'd prefer. I hate to admit it, but I'm really creeped out and if I stay alone in here I know I'll never be able to fall asleep."

He swallowed deeply as imagined sharing a bed with her. Her warm, smooth body would be lying mere inches from him and he wouldn't be able to do a damn thing about it. He opened his mouth to say that he didn't think it would be wise, but instead he felt his head begin to nod. The relief in her eyes prevented him from changing his mind when he realized he had agreed to her insane appeal.

"Thank you," she sighed. "I know it's a childish request, but I've never had to deal with anything like this before and it's just a little overwhelming right now."

"I understand," Sirius smiled, though it became a grimace when she pulled him toward the rather small double bed.

Erin climbed in and scooted as far over as she could to make room for him, and after a heartbeat of hesitation Sirius reluctantly stretched out next to her. The space was so small that their arms touched and the warmth radiating off of her body made his skin tingle.

She gave him a wan smile and then reached over to put out the light, casting the room into darkness. He felt the bed shift as she snuggled in next to him, inadvertently moving closer so that their legs and hips now touched as well.

"Goodnight Sirius," she yawned and then her breathing slowed as she quickly fell asleep.

He lay there for a moment just listening to her breath, and then with as little jostling as he could manage he rolled over and placed a small kiss on her temple.

"Goodnight, sweetheart," he murmured before closing his eyes and drifting easily to sleep.


	10. The ginger invasion

Chapter 10

Erin awoke early the next morning to find herself alone. She slowly reached out a hand to touch the abandoned pillow Sirius had used the night before to find it cold to the touch and she wondered how long he had actually slept there.

She knew he had stayed for a while because she had awoken once during the night to feel him cuddled against her back with his arm wrapped tightly around her waist. She had been so comforted by his presence that she didn't even attempt to dislodge him, instead she snuggled closer to his warm body and fell quickly back to sleep.

A small smile played on her lips as she stretched and sat up. Once she was changed she quietly made her way down to the kitchen to begin breakfast. The men had been so good to her that she wanted to treat them to a delicious home-made meal. However, once she arrived in the large room she was surprised to find that both men were awake and that breakfast had already been made. She was also surprised to find that they were not alone.

Alastair Moody was seated at the table sniffing suspiciously at the cup of coffee clutched in his large, gnarled hand. When Erin entered the room his magical eye whizzed up to stare imposingly at her. After taking a small, cautious sip of his beverage he looked up at her and nodded brusquely.

"Ah, you're finally up," he grumbled as if he had been waiting hours for her to arrive.

Erin glanced up at the small, antique clock that hung on the wall and frowned slightly when she discovered that it was only seven-thirty in the morning. She gave Remus and Sirius a quizzical look before turning back toward Mad-Eye.

"Um, is there something I can do for you?" she asked curiously.

He continued to glare at her for a moment, looking her over as if he were sizing her up and then he nodded again. "Dumbledore asked me to come. He has informed me that you are receiving tutoring in, amongst other things, Defense against the Dark Arts. He has asked me to participate in your study."

Erin's eyebrows crinkled in confusion. "Remus is my tutor for Defense," she told him stiffly. She felt offended at his implied suggestion that her education had been somehow lacking.

"I am aware of that," he growled rather menacingly.

"Erin," Remus said gently. "Albus believes, and I agree, that any extra help you can get just now would be very beneficial for you. These are turbulent times and the more knowledge and experience you have the better off you'll be. Surely you see that."

She made a slightly petulant face, but if Remus had no problem with this new arrangement why should she? "All right," she shrugged. "If you want to help, I won't argue. When shall we begin?"

"First things first," he snapped lightly. "Albus has informed me that you have some sort of natural shield that prevented Severus from using legilimency on you. He asks that I test the strength and capabilities of that shield. Will you allow me to do that?"

"It depends," she said suspiciously. "What do you intend to do?"

He gave her another long look before speaking. "I assume you have heard of the Unforgivable curses?"

Erin blanched and then shot Sirius and Remus an uneasy glance. "Um, yes, I have. But I'd prefer you not torture or kill me, if that's quite all right…"

"I do not intend to use the cruciatus or killing curses on you." He said brusquely. "However, with your permission I would like to attempt the imperius curse."

Erin considered his request for a moment. While reading about the spell in book four she had been intrigued with the notion of controlling not only the thoughts of another but the actions as well. She had wondered then if she would be strong like Harry and fight off the suggestions, or if she would prefer to let her mind float peacefully and do whatever was commanded of her.

"All right," she eventually agreed. "But please promise not to make me do anything embarrassing."

Mad-Eye nodded once and then Erin gulped loudly as he raised his wand at her.

"Imperio!" he incanted forcefully.

Erin felt something like a mild tingling in the back of her head, but otherwise nothing happened. Mad-Eye frowned deeply and then tried it again. "Imperio!" he practically shouted, but still nothing happened.

"Well?" Sirius asked anxiously.

Mad-Eye was still frowning as he lowered his wand. "I have met people who are adept at fighting off this curse, but I have never met anyone completely immune to it. I don't understand how this is possible."

"What does it mean?" Remus asked, intrigued.

"I'm not sure. But I do wonder if it's possible she's immune to the other two as well."

"Mad-Eye!" Sirius snapped warningly.

The former Auror eyed her for a moment as he tightened his grip on his wand, and Erin wondered if she should be preparing to duck as he seemed to be seriously contemplating cursing her again. Finally though, he slipped his wand back into his robes and took another long sip of his coffee. "Eat light," he growled. "We will begin your first lesson in thirty minutes."

Erin quickly swallowed the scrambled egg and pumpkin juice Remus gave her and then she ran back up to her room to put on a pair of shorts and a comfortable t-shirt. If the real Moody was anything like his false counterpart, it seemed likely that she would need all of the agility and flexibility she could manage. Once she was ready she met up with the others in the dining room.

Erin felt a flash of nerves when she saw that the table and chairs had been pushed to the far end of the room, leaving a wide open space. Mad-Eye stood imposingly in the center of the room waiting for her, while Remus and Sirius stood further back with slightly anxious looks on their faces, as if they were as nervous as her as to what was coming.

"Assume a defensive stance," he ordered as she approached.

"What?" She balked. "Why?"

"This is the only warning I will give you," he snapped. "It is far more than any Death Eater will give you. _Assume a defensive stance NOW_!"

Erin swallowed hard and raised her wand. She was happy to see that her hand shook only slightly as she waited for him to blast her. She didn't have to wait long before he cast his first spell. Erin just barely managed to avoid his Confringo curse when he sent an Expulso spell at her.

Erin moved as fast as she could either to duck or deflect as he sent curse after curse straight toward her. A few times she felt the burn as they came within inches of her, but somehow they each seemed to just miss. She honestly didn't know if that were a result of skill on her part, or if he was missing on purpose, though she suspected the latter.

It continued on that way for nearly three hours by which time Erin was panting and dripping with sweat. When he finally called a halt she was ready to collapse. Mad-Eye, much to her dismay and humiliation, seemed hardly ruffled as he calmly pocketed his wand.

Sirius was at her side then with an ice cold glass of water in his hand. He chuckled as she voraciously snatched it from him and emptied it in three long gulps. "Thanks," she gasped when she had finally caught her breath.

"You did very well," Remus said, handing her a towel for her sweat-soaked face. "I doubt many of the recently graduated seventh years could do better."

"Your performance was only slightly better than pathetic," Moody grumbled. "If the average seventh year student is even less capable than you, then I fear for our future."

"Be fair, Mad-Eye," Sirius frowned. "Erin is new to all of this, and for someone only recently introduced to magic, I think she did superbly."

Moody stared at her for a moment before giving a single grudging nod. "She managed to not die or be stunned," he acquiesced flatly. "However, she did not manage to stun or kill me. Had I been a true adversary she would not have remained unharmed." He focused his hard gaze on her. "I expect you to practice in between our training sessions. You need it."

"We will see to it," Remus assured. "Would you care for something cold to drink?"

"No, thank you," he said gruffly, pulling on his heavy, magically reinforced travelling cloak. "I have much to do before tonight's meeting."

Without another word, the old Auror gave each of then a curt not and stomped out of the room toward the front door. There was an audible CRACK as he apparrated away.

"That reminds me," Remus said turning toward his companions. "When I came downstairs this morning there was an owl waiting from Molly Weasley. She wants to make dinner for the Order before the meeting tonight and she and her youngest children will arrive in the late afternoon to begin cooking."

Sirius made a slightly disgruntled face. "Dinner, huh? More likely she wants to check up on us."

"Why would she want to check on us?" Erin frowned. "Is she afraid we can't cook on our own?"

The men chuckled mirthlessly and shook their heads. "She doesn't like the idea of you living here with us," Remus told her.

Erin felt a flash of hurt. Did Molly suspect that she couldn't be trusted with the Order's secrets? Did she still doubt the truth of her arrival in this world? "Oh, dear," she said softly. "I don't want to any cause trouble. I don't have to come to the meeting if she is still uncertain about my presence."

"That isn't it at all," Sirius assured her. "She fully accepts what Dumbledore said about you, and she trusts his decision to include you in the Order. No, she's worried about your virtue."

"My _what_?" Erin guffawed.

"She doesn't think it's a good idea for a young, innocent girl to be living under the same roof as two wily old lechers," he laughed and nudged Remus in the ribs mischievously, making the other man flush over red. "Actually Albus told me that she contacted him two days after his announcement and expressed her concerns over our living arrangements. He said she offered to move in on the same day as you so that you wouldn't have to be without a chaperone."

"She does know I was married, right?" Erin couldn't help but laugh at Molly's overprotective nature. She was both exasperated and touched that the older woman was so concerned for her.

"I don't suppose she cares about that," Sirius shrugged. "She looks at you and sees a child who needs protecting."

Erin sighed heavily. "I suppose I'll have to have a talk with her. But first, I'm going to take a shower, I feel sticky and gross."

"You really did do very well today," Remus assured her honestly.

Erin waved a dismissive hand. "If he hadn't held back I would be laid out on the floor. He could have flattened me. I really was awful."

Sirius gave her a comforting squeeze. "You have quick reflexes Erin, so don't sell yourself short. He wasn't holding back all that much, but you were still able to dodge his spells. We will teach you how to dodge efficiently and still return fire. With a bit of practice you could really become a force to be reckoned with."

"Thanks," she smiled gratefully. "I only hope I don't disappoint." She also silently prayed that she'd never have to use the skills they would teach her.

…..

She spent much longer in the shower than she'd intended. Her muscles ached and the hot water did wonders to leach away the pain and stiffness she felt as a result of the demands she had placed on them. Afterward she put on clean clothes and set about drying and taming her heavy mass of hair.

It was nearly four in the afternoon when she finally re-emerged in the kitchen. One of the men had made cold-cut sandwiches and a plate was waiting for her as she sat down to the table. She dug in like she was starving, and then met up with her house mates in the library. They read and otherwise made small talk until a heavy knock resounded on the door at a quarter to five. The noise was enough to disturb the portrait of Mrs. Black who began screaming obscenities and Sirius ran off to subdue her while Remus and Erin answered the door.

Molly, Fred, George, Ron and Ginny stood in the doorway. All of their arms were laden with bags of groceries and cooking implements and each watched in wide-eyed wonder as Sirius yanked the curtains closed on the still-bellowing image of his belligerent parent. When he was done he quickly explained to them about the portrait and the need for silence in the hall. They each nodded and moved as silently as they could manage.

Once in the kitchen, Molly immediately began directing her children on where to place the items they had brought. Sirius watched with mild apprehension as they covered nearly every available surface with food and utensils.

"Are you planning a dinner, or a feast?" He said as he inspected the organized mess that covered his kitchen.

Molly didn't turn as she swiped a finger across a still dusty counter and frowned disdainfully. "We are expecting nearly two dozen people here tonight, and I have to assume they will all be hungry." She sighed heavily as she inspected the rest of the room. "I thought you boys were going to clean this place up. This won't do at all. Ginny!" She called to her daughter who was staring in wide-eyed fascination at the infamous Sirius Black (who winked at her, making her face go red enough to match her fiery hair).

"Ginny, get that bag of cleaning supplies and give everyone a scrub brush and some soap. If we all work together we can have this room sparkling in no time." As she said it each of her three boys groaned their displeasure, but one sharp look from their mother shut them up instantly.

Everyone, Remus and Sirius included, began cleaning and within half an hour the room looked significantly better. As soon as Molly declared the room suitable the two older men fled before she could ask them to do anything else. Erin chuckled as she watched them hastily slip away. Fred, George, and Ron saw them too and they tried to escape unnoticed as well, but before they made it to the door Molly called them back and set them to peeling potatoes.

"Erin, dear," she called pleasantly. "Perhaps you could help me with the roast while Ginny prepares the vegetables."

"Sure," Erin nodded. She figured that Molly had been waiting to have a word with her, which was fine as Erin was hoping to quell any worries the older woman might have about her living arrangements.

Sure enough, almost as soon as she approached, Molly turned a warm but imposing stare upon her. It was a look Erin knew well. She had used it on her own children many times when she was attempting to force the truth from them. It was hard to contain her smirk as Molly tried to look intimidating.

"You arrived here yesterday?" She asked, as she began preparing the meat.

"Yes. Dumbledore brought me early in the day."

Molly nodded absently, seemingly focused on the roast. "How was your first night alone? Did you sleep well? I assume that Remus and Sirius made you feel welcome?"

Erin smiled wryly. "They did. The night was a bit chaotic though. There was something making noise in my closet. Sirius thinks it was probably a boggart but it got away before he could vanquish it."

"That must have been very frightening for you."

"It was quite startling, but Sirius stayed with me until I felt better." The moment she said it, she regretted it. Molly's eyes had widened and then narrowed suspiciously.

"Did he?" She said it slowly, watching Erin's face intently for any hint of embarrassment or guilt. "I assume he behaved like a gentleman?"

Erin sighed deeply. "Mrs. Weasley, I know that you disapprove of me staying here with only two men for company, but I assure you that I can handle myself. As for last night with Sirius - he was a great comfort to me."

Molly squared her shoulders as she leveled Erin with a dubious and slightly superior look. "I've told Albus that it isn't right for a young girl just out of school to live alone with two much older and _experienced_ men. I've offered to let you reside with my family until we all come to stay here in a few weeks. That way you will have stability and protection without all of the...unnecessary distractions. I would feel much better if you came home with us tonight."

"That's very kind of you, really," Erin told her genuinely. "But I am perfectly happy here. You don't have to worry about me. Remember that even though I might appear young, I am actually a grown woman with children of my own. Even if I thought it would be an issue, which I truly don't, I can handle myself with these men."

Molly frowned deeply as she surveyed the woman/child before her. Erin could see the mother's need to protect shining in her eyes and she felt a surge of affection and understanding for the other woman. "I know it, though it is hard to imagine. You look so _young_. It must be very difficult for you to be apart from your children. All of this must be so strange and complicated for you…which is why I believe it would be best for you to come and stay with us. You don't need anything more to contend with."

"Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Weasley, it means a lot to me."

"I take it that's a 'No'? Molly guessed shrewdly.

Erin nodded firmly. "It wouldn't make sense for me to leave. I'd have to come back every day for tutoring anyway, and that just seems silly."

"Well, if you change your mind, the offer stands."

After Molly finally acquiesced they worked together in relative silence to finish preparing the meal. It was late evening before the dinner was ready and within moments the first of the Order began to arrive. Dumbledore and Severus arrived with Professor McGonagall and Hagrid. Mad-Eye and Tonks followed them by minutes. Arthur Weasley brought his two eldest sons, Bill and Charley which meant that all of the Weasley family, with the exception of Percy, was present. Kingsley arrived next and he was followed by Hestia Jones and Dedalus Diggle. The very last person to arrive was a very apprehensive and wary looking Mundungus Fletcher.

Sirius greeted everyone as they entered his home and though everyone knew the truth of his false imprisonment, Erin could still see the anxious hesitation on some of their faces as they shook his hand. He was, after all, a wanted criminal as far as the Ministry was concerned.

The large table was laden with food as all twenty-one of them crowded in together, and although not everyone ate, the meal was quickly devoured. Once the table was cleared Molly ushered her four youngest children to the library and ordered them to stay put. When she returned Albus raised a hand for silence.

"Good evening everyone," he said congenially. "To those of you who are new to the order; welcome. To those of you who were members during the previous war; welcome back. I am glad to see so many dedicated faces, though I must remind everyone that for us to succeed in our efforts we still must continue to try and recruit as many new members as possible. If you know of anyone who would be a boon to our ranks, please submit his or her name to Arthur Weasley, Kingsley or myself."

He paused a moment as his features became somber. "As most of you already know our deepest fear has been realized. A few days ago, during the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Lord Voldemort returned. During the night of his resurrection he murdered one our most promising seventh year students, reunited his remaining Death Eaters, and attempted to kill Harry Potter.

Our sources tell us that he is wasting no time in regaining his strength. Already he and those loyal to him are recruiting new members of their own. We also know that he plans on sending emissaries to the giants, goblins, werewolves and dementors. Of these, I believe the greatest threat lies with the giants and dementors."

Kingsley stood then and Dumbledore waved for him to speak. "Our hold on the dementors is tedious at best. They crave freedom from wizarding rule and from oppression and they know that they will never be given it under the current Ministry's regime. Sadly, we cannot make the same promises to them that Voldemort will and for that their loyalty and power will most surely go to him. However, I believe we still have a chance with the giants. If we can send emissaries ahead of Voldemort, we just might be able to sway them in our favor."

"I'll do it," Hagrid offered, getting to his feet so quickly the entire table shifted as he knocked into it. "Uh, sorry bout' tha'," he said sheepishly as several people scrambled to mop up fallen glasses of wine and whiskey.

"Thank you Hagrid," Dumbledore smiled. "But I do not think you should proceed with this undertaking alone. Would you have any objection if I were to ask Madam Maxime to accompany you?" He turned to face the rest of the group."Madam Maxime is the Headmistress of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. She is an unofficial member of this Order, but for the safety of her school and its students her participation will be quite limited. However, I do believe that her assistance in this endeavor will be crucial and I also believe she will not object to accompanying you with this, Hagrid. Do you have any objections?"

"Olympe wou' be comin' wi' me?" Hagrid said hopefully, and with more than a hint of excitement. "Thas' great! Uh, I mean, thas' fine."

"Excellent!" Dumbledore said, clapping his hands together. "We will make the necessary arrangements for you to depart as soon as possible." He turned toward Bill Weasley. "I know that the goblins prefer not to take sides on wizarding issues unless it benefits them financially, but I must ask that you try and warn them of what is to come."

Bill nodded, though he looked dubious.

"There is only one more issue which requires our immediate attention." It was Dumbledore's turn to appear uneasy. "I believe that Voldemort may attempt to capture or kill Harry Potter while he is away from the safety Hogwarts for the summer holidays. I must ask that he have a protective detail at all times while he is away from school. The home of his aunt and uncle is under magical protection, however, he will most likely spend much of his time outside of the house as he doesn't particularly care for his relatives. For many years we have had a trusted ally and neighbor of his keep an eye on him. However, she is a squib and cannot adequately protect him should the need arise. Therefore, I must ask one of you to volunteer for this duty."

"I'll do it," Sirius offered eagerly.

Dumbledore grimaced slightly. "I thank you for the offer, but you know that it will not be safe for you to leave this house until Voldemort's return becomes public knowledge and we can properly declare and defend your innocence to the Ministry."

"Come on, Albus. There must be something useful I can do," Sirius scowled.

"Don't care for your leash, dog?" Severus goaded.

Sirius was half out of his chair, a murderous look in his eyes, when Erin put a restraining hand on his arm. He glanced down at her, his expression was furious for a moment before he registered the silent plead in her eyes. With great reluctance he resumed his seat, but his irate glare remained fixed on Snape.

Snape continued to smirk triumphantly until he glanced over at Erin and saw the look of deep disappointment she leveled at him. Instantly the smirk fell away and he seemed to sulk under her displeasured gaze.

Erin glanced up at Dumbledore and saw the sparkle in his eyes as he nodded once in approval of how she'd diffused the nearly explosive moment.

"Mundungus," He said, turning toward the small, wary man. "Would you be willing to take on guard duty for Harry this summer?"

"Ah, wouldn't that be a bit…dangerous?" Mundungus asked warily. "Maybe someone more _qualified_ should do it."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "We are fighting against Voldemort, Dung. Everything we do is dangerous."

Erin thought she heard Severus mutter, "Not for _you_, Black," but no one else seemed to notice so she let it go.

"You can borrow an invisibility cloak," Albus assured. "And if the situation ever becomes too dangerous, your only objective is to remove Harry from harm's way. You can perform side-along apparition, yes?"

When Mundungus continued to squirm uncomfortably Severus sighed. "We could always use another double agent in the Voldemort camp. Would you prefer that? I wouldn't mind sharing that responsibility."

That suggestion made Mundungus sit up straight in his chair. "I suppose I can help guard the boy. After all, the odds of anything really happening are slim, right?"

"Very good," Dumbledore nodded. "And Sirius, there is something important you can do."

Sirius sat up eagerly and waited impatiently to learn of his new important task.

"Actually, Molly," He continued, "Your youngest son can help as well. I need him, Sirius, and even the young Granger girl to write to Harry as soon as possible and tell him to stay close to his relative's home. He is not to venture far from the property and he is to do nothing that might bring the wrath of the Ministry down upon him. Keep in mind that I do not want any vital information to fall into the wrong hands so letters are to contain no more than the most basic of information."

Erin felt Sirius deflate beside her as he listened to the details of his new 'important' assignment. She really felt for him. The useless impotence she knew he felt would eat at him daily and she knew that Severus' goading only made it worse. She vowed to do everything in her power to keep him busy and distracted so that the dark feelings would not worsen and begin to fester inside him.

The meeting came to a close shortly thereafter, and one by one nearly everyone took their leave. Soon only the Weasley family and Albus remained. While the rest of them chatted casually Erin glanced up to see Molly in close conversation with the wizened Headmaster. Though Erin couldn't hear what was being said, she saw Molly motion animatedly in her direction and she frowned slightly with curiosity. What was the woman up to?

The answer came moments later when the two of them approached the table where the rest of the group sat."Sirius, Remus, Erin," Dumbledore nodded to each as he spoke their names. "Molly and I have been discussing things and if none of you have any objections, she would like to move her family here as soon as the end of the week."

"Sooner, if possible," Molly interjected.

Dumbledore smiled at her indulgently. "Yes, well, are there any objections to this change of plans?"

"It's not really necessary for you to come so soon," Remus shrugged. "But I have no objections."

Sirius crossed his arms over his chest and all but glared at the red-headed woman who was looking between the two older men and the lovely young girl suspiciously.

Erin rolled her eyes. Of course Molly would completely dismiss their earlier conversation and do what she wanted regardless of her assurances. She chuckled lightly and shrugged. "I don't care, though I don't think there is any reason to rush."

"Why?" It was one word, but it was heavy with mistrust and annoyance. Sirius kept his eyes locked on Molly's face as he asked it.

"This place is filthy," she said evenly, uncaring of the resentment he aimed at her. "It will take weeks to even make it livable. Erin told me this afternoon that there are even boggarts living here. Besides, our next meeting is on Saturday. It doesn't make sense to continually risk our safety by travelling back and forth several times a week when we could just stay here and get started on all of the cleaning that needs to be done."

"In other words you don't trust us alone with Erin and you want to be here to chaperone," Sirius grumbled shrewdly. "Just admit it, Molly."

The older woman shrugged negligently, neither acknowledging nor denying the statement. She didn't look at all abashed, though she steadfastly refused to meet Erin's eyes.

Sirius swore lightly under his breath but he did not argue further. "Whatever," he said, waving an airy hand. "I don't care. Do whatever you want."

"Good," Molly nodded in satisfaction. "We will come by tomorrow and figure out where everyone will sleep. There will be seven of us if you include Hermione Granger who will be spending the summer with us. I think it would be best if the three girls bunked together. Erin, is there enough room for two cots in your bedroom?"

"It will be very close-quarters, but I suppose so." She couldn't help but laugh at the older woman's antics. It was obvious that Mrs. Weasley would do anything to ensure that nothing inappropriate happened under her nose.

"It's settled then," Molly smiled.

….

The Weasley family moved in two days later, and Sirius' already tenuous mood began to darken. Erin tried to keep him busy with her tutoring, and it did help, but whenever the opportunity arose (which was often) Molly would bustle in and send him off to clean something. It was no better with Remus, who also began to get annoyed when she continuously interrupted Erin's training.

As mid-July arrived Erin noticed that her mood began to change as well. She was still receiving tutoring in all the subjects that Albus deemed important which filled up most of her days. Whenever she was not studying Molly had her scrubbing and polishing along with the rest of them. Mad-Eye's training sessions were grueling and soon she found that her body was so exhausted she had a hard time dodging his relentless attacks. More than once she needed to be treated for magical wounds and that only made her wearier.

Then there was the fact that she had absolutely no privacy in the house. No matter where she went for solitude and solace there were inevitably already people there. It was impossible to not notice the effect the strain was having on her and nearly every day someone commented on it. Erin got tired of insisting that she was okay and had taken to simply ignoring the questions. As much as she liked Ginny and Hermione, their concern and near constant presence made her edgy – especially when all she wanted was silence.

She tried talking to Sirius about what she was feeling, but whenever she got him alone Molly was at the door in seconds trying to separate them. Erin began to resent the woman for her interference, which inevitably made her feel worse as she genuinely liked Mrs. Weasley. Still, with each passing day it became harder and harder to bury her unhappiness.

It came to a head on the night of the twenty-second. Erin had awoken that day feeling worse than usual. It was her youngest daughter, Andy's, fifth birthday and she missed her so much she felt like her heart was shattering. Erin tried her best to hide herself away, but it was a futile effort as there was nowhere to go to be alone.

The others took notice of her particularly dour mood and they each tried to either cheer her up or distract her, but nothing worked. Erin was trapped in her own private hell and all she wanted to do was curl into a ball and cry until there was no pain, no sorrow left inside her. She desperately wanted her best friend in this world to hold her and stroke her hair while she allowed herself to grieve in his arms, but she knew Molly would never allow them privacy. Several times everyone, Sirius most especially, had tried to coax the reason for her unbearable mood from her, but she couldn't say it out loud or else she knew she would begin sobbing uncontrollably. She couldn't bear the thought so she did her best to hold it in.

That evening after they had eaten another of Molly's admittedly delicious meals (of which Erin had maybe two bites) they all adjourned to the spacious drawing room. They had just finished cleaning it, and though Sirius hated the room he endured it so long as he had a strong drink to sip on. Erin would have preferred the more cozy library, but Molly had discovered doxies in the curtains there and until they were dealt with she had barred the room from further use.

Erin's depression was palpable and she had fastidiously avoided any unnecessary eye contact lest anyone notice the tears that always threatened to spill over. Her sorrow seemed to have affected everyone and the only attempts at conversation were forced and short-lived. Finally in a last ditch effort to relieve the general tension and bad mood of all those present, Molly made a suggestion.

"Erin, dear," she said with strained ease. "Albus tells me you are very talented on the piano. Why don't you play something for us?" She motioned to the newly cleaned instrument in the corner of the room. It was a beautiful black piano, and even after all of these years it was still perfectly tuned thanks to a spell cast upon it by its maker.

Erin shook her head to decline, but Molly, in her desperation to do _something_, insisted relentlessly. Sirius was just about to scream at her to leave the poor girl alone, when Erin stood and made her way to the sleek piano bench. Her fingers caressed the keys lovingly as a soft, somber melody rang out into the quiet of the room. When she opened her mouth the words flowed out like an endless wave of loneliness and heartache.

_In my daughter's eyes, I am a hero._

_I am strong and wise, and I know no fear._

_But the truth is plain to see, she was sent to rescue me._

_I see who I want to be, in my daughter's eyes._

_In my daughter's eyes everyone is equal._

_Darkness turns to light, and the world is at peace._

_This miracle God gave to me gives me strength when I am weak._

_I find reason to believe in my daughter's eyes._

_And when she wraps her hand around my finger,_

_Oh, it puts a smile in my heart._

_Everything becomes a little clearer._

_I realize what life is all about._

_It's hanging on when your heart has had enough,_

_It's giving more when you feel like giving up._

_I've seen the light; it's in my daughter's eyes._

_In my daughter's eyes, I can see the future;_

_a reflection of who I am and what will be._

_And though she'll grow and someday leave,_

_Maybe raise a family,_

_When I'm gone I hope you'll see how happy she made me._

_For I'll be there…_

_In my daughter's eyes._

Erin didn't hear the gasp as the notes shimmered visibly in the air to settle around the room's inhabitants. She didn't spare a thought to the emotion she poured into the song; all she knew was the misery she felt as she clearly pictured her children's beautiful faces in her mind. How desperately she wanted to hold them, to touch them, and tell them how very much she loved and missed them.

When the song reached its conclusion a loud wail rent the air. Erin quickly swiveled around to see Molly practically throw herself at Ginny; pulling the child tight to her ample bosom. Everyone in the room was crying softly, but the song had obviously affected the older woman much more than anyone else. Erin couldn't contain her laughter as Ginny quickly recovered from the musical trance to the horror of her mother smothering her in a crushing embrace in full view of a crowd of people.

"Mum!" She girl shrieked as she tried in vain to dislodge her overly emotional parent. "Let go! You're suffocating me! Dad _HELP_! Get her off of me!"

The whole time Molly was sobbing uncontrollably and struggling to keep a tight grip on her daughter as the girl fought to get away. It took the combined efforts of Arthur and the twins to finally remove the irrational mother's arms from around her youngest child's body. Molly continued to cry silently and Arthur eventually took charge; sending his children to bed and practically carrying his wife off to their room.

"That is quite an ability you've got there," Remus said once all of the Weasely's had gone. "Albus said it was a potent gift, but I didn't expect to feel quite it so deeply." He still had tears in his eyes as he spoke, but there was amazement and admiration shining there as well.

"I agree," Sirius said hoarsely, wiping away his own tears. Then a sly smile split his face. "But the best part of it was that you finally got Molly to leave us alone!"

Erin chuckled along with both men. She had to admit that Molly's outburst had lightened her mood considerably. A small part of her felt bad that she had inadvertently used her magic on the woman, but the unexpected outcome was well worth it. Her heart didn't feel as heavy as it had before.

"You feel like telling us what's been eating at you all day?" Sirius prodded lightly. "You've obviously been in pain since you got up. What's wrong?"

Erin sighed and sniffed softly. "It's my baby's birthday today. I miss her so much; I miss both of them so very much!" The tears she had successfully held at bay finally emerged and ran unchecked down her face.

They were on their feet in an instant. Erin felt their warm comforting arms encircle her and she wept fiercely as they attempted to sooth her. Finally, when she had cried herself out she lifted her head and kissed them both gently on the lips.

"Thank you for being here for me," she said to each of them in turn. "If I didn't have you I would never be able to survive this ordeal. Your friendship is the best thing to come out of this whole crazy situation and I will be eternally grateful for it."

The men took turns hugging her close once more, and then they walked her to her room and bid her goodnight. As her door closed, Sirius rested his hand against the wood that separated them and for the first time in his life, he prayed.

He prayed that Erin would find peace and happiness in her life. He prayed that she would somehow be reunited with her children so that the gaping hole in her heart could finally heal. But, most of all, he prayed that she would never, ever leave. Somehow, amidst all of the insanity of his existence he had come to realize just how important and special she was to him, and he knew that he could never bear it if she were gone from his life. It was selfish, he knew, but he didn't care. He needed her presence as surely as she needed his, and he knew he would never be able to let her go.

...

Sorry this chapter is so very late in coming. The good news is that I am nearly done with chapter 11!

Just for reference: The song Erin sang was In my Daughter's eyes, by Martina McBride.

Also for legal reasons: I do not own Harry Potter. I am only playing with it.

READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!


	11. Shall we play a game?

I finished this one faster than I thought!

Honestly, this chapter was the first one I wrote for this story and the rest of the story was written to fit it.

I know many of you have been waiting for some hot Sirius/Erin action, so this is your first taste.

**WARNING: This chapter contains adult situations!**

Enjoy!

(Side note: In the last chapter I stated that Erin's daughter Andy had turned five. This was a mistake. She has just turned four.)

...

After that night time seemed to fly by. Harry was brought to Grimmauld place on the sixth of August and from that day on it was even harder to find any alone time with either Remus or Sirius outside of tutoring. The house continued to be busy as people came and went on a regular basis at all times of the day and night.

To everyone's relief her mood lightened considerably as the days passed. Erin decided to focus solely on each task she undertook and because there was an endless supply of things to do, she found that it was relatively easy to bury her sadder thoughts and emotions. The thing that helped her the most was seeing the unabashed pleasure on Sirius' face at having his godson close by all the time. His general happiness made her heart significantly lighter. In fact, Erin found that she was almost jealous of the boy. He got to monopolize Sirius' time and Molly wasn't nearly so frantic to separate _them_.

Admittedly, she still felt slightly claustrophobic with so many people in the house together. With the addition of Harry the house was even more crowded, though she found that she couldn't resent him for it; he was very personable and easy to get along with and he made Sirius happy. How could she possibly dislike that?

Thankfully, as September arrived and the school aged kids departed for Hogwarts, the Weasley adults decided to pack up as well. The house had been thoroughly cleaned and the Order meetings had been cut back to once a week. They were only to occur more frequently than that when something major happened, so Molly had no argument to remain. As for Erin, she couldn't tell if Sirius was more despondent about Harry being gone, or happy that the overbearing Weasley woman was finally out of his home. Unfortunately, his mood still went sour within a week. He missed his godson and he hated the limitations the Order placed on him so chose to withdraw and drown his sorrows in fire whiskey.

Erin really felt for him, but she couldn't think of a way to ease him. In the end she decided to let him be and wait until an opportunity or brilliant idea presented itself. It was hard to allow him to wallow in misery, but she knew it couldn't last forever and sure enough, in early October things abruptly began to change…

* * *

Sirius Black was bored. The meeting for the Order of the Phoenix had ended a couple hours earlier and the only people left within 12 Grimmauld place were Remus, Erin, and himself. As far as he was concerned, he was trapped here with the two most boring people in the world. Remus sat on the couch, his head resting on his hand and an open book on his knee. Erin lay on her stomach on the hearthrug with her chin balanced on her crossed arms, and another book on the floor before her.

After the meeting had ended the three of them cleaned the kitchen, changed into their pajamas and inevitably all found themselves in the library to pass the time until finally retiring for the night. This arrangement had begun weeks ago when in a fit of boredom Sirius had wandered downstairs after he thought everyone else was asleep, only to find Erin stretched out on the couch reading old spell books in her nightgown. It wasn't an unwelcome sight. After all, she was extremely attractive, and her nightgown barely covered her thighs.

They had smiled and nodded to each other before she went back to her reading and he poured himself a large glass of fire whiskey and settled into his favorite armchair to watch the flames dance in the fire place and consider how his life had ended up like _this_. Within a half hour Remus appeared at the door. He chuckled when he saw that he wasn't the only one seeking the quiet solace of the library at this hour. Erin smiled back at him and scooted up to make room for him on the couch. The all laughed when they found themselves in the same situation he next night. By the third night they agreed to make it a regular thing, and soon the men began appearing in their pajamas as well.

They almost never talked. Usually it ended up just as it was tonight, with Erin and Remus reading, and Sirius slowly getting drunk. Erin once complemented him on how reflective and contemplative he was. Little did she know that most of the time his thoughts were anything but introspective. Most nights, especially those like tonight when she was stretched out so sweetly in front of him, Sirius was lost within his own fantasies.

He watched her through half closed lids. His cool grey eyes roamed over her luscious curves, focusing most often on the parts of her that made his pulse race and his body stiffen delightfully. In his mind it was his hands and mouth that explored her; learning every secret pleasure point while she writhed and moaned beneath him. More than once an unrestrained groan would escape him, and she would look up and ask if he was alright. He would grunt and nod, then glance over to see Remus shake his head; a knowing smirk on his face. He was unrepentant. It had been far too long since he had been with a woman and his body constantly reminded him of that fact.

Tonight, however, he was feeling more restless than usual. It had been an incredibly dull week. Nothing new was happening with the Order and it seemed like the Death Eaters were taking a holiday. There hadn't been many other people around lately, and as fond as he was of Remus, and as attracted as he was to Erin, he found himself resenting them. They, after all, could leave and explore the outside world while he was stuck here with nothing more entertaining than his own thoughts. He huffed and sighed before taking another rather large swig from his glass.

"Is something bothering you, Sirius?" Remus asked, glancing up from his thick tome.

"I'm so bloody bored!" he whined pathetically, reminding Erin of her petulant seven-year-old.

"Well, what would you like to do?" she asked indulgently, just as she would to one of her kids.

"Anything! I don't care!" Sirius cried. "We always just sit here and it's so damned dull."

Erin closed her book and sat up slowly. She stifled a yawn stretching her back to get her blood flowing again, unintentionally giving the men a nice glimpse of her body. "Um, do you want to play a game?" she suggested, glancing between them.

"Sure," Remus shrugged, closing his own book. "What shall we play?"

"Cards?" Erin asked, looking around for a deck.

"No," Sirius said, instantly shooting down the idea. "We play cards all the time. I want to do something different."

"What else is there?" Remus asked, flummoxed.

"We could play a muggle game," Erin shrugged. "I know a few that you guys might like."

"Like what?" Sirius asked dubiously.

Erin thought for a second then snapped her fingers. "Oh, we could play charades or some other guessing game…" she trailed off at the blank looks they each gave her. "Okay, never mind. Um, how about a word game?" Sirius groaned at the mention of 'words' and she chuckled. "I guess not. Okay, how about a drinking game?"

Both men sat up at the suggestion, and Sirius grinned widely. "A drinking game? Now _that_ sounds fun!"

"I guess that could be interesting," Remus agreed. "What kind of drinking game did you have in mind?"

"Well, there's 'Buzz', which is a math game…"

Sirius groaned in annoyance. "Math? Stop trying to make drinking games boring!"

"Okay, sorry!" she laughed. "There's also 'I never'..."

"How do you play that?" Remus asked politely, giving Sirius a quelling look that suggested he learn some manners.

"One of us says something they've never done, and if the others have done that thing, they take a drink. For example, I might say, 'I never kissed a girl, and since I assume you two have, you'd each take a drink."

"Ooh, that has promise," Sirius smiled. "What else you got?"

Erin thought for a minute. "Umm, there's also question games like 'Yes and No' and 'Guess who'. Then there are skill games like 'Coin Bounce'. There are also a few naughty games I know, but you might be too uncomfortable to play them…"

"Naughty games?" Sirius grinned widely. "Tell us about them, and we'll let you know if they're too much for us."

Erin chuckled. "Well, they're really meant for larger groups. We used to play them at high school parties."

"That's okay," Sirius encouraged. "Tell us about them."

Erin sighed, "All right. There's 'Spin the bottle', 'Seven minutes in heaven', 'Truth or Dare'…"

Remus winced slightly at each name, but Sirius only grinned wider and wider. "We know those games," he told her, shooting Remus a conspiratorial wink. "And I think we should play 'Truth or Dare'. After all, I'm sure there are plenty of things you want to know about us but were too timid to ask, and I know there's a lot we've yet to learn about you…"

"All right…" Erin said slowly, rather intrigued by the idea. "What do you think, Remus?"

He made a face, but eventually shrugged. "Okay, if you two really want to, I'll play along."

"Great!" Sirius smiled, as he jumped up to grab a fresh bottle of fire whiskey and some shot glasses.

Everyone sat on the floor facing each other as Sirius placed the bottle and glasses in the center of their wide triangle. "Hold on," he said, as he grabbed his wand and tapped each of the three shot glasses and the fire whiskey in turn. "There. Now if anyone lies, the bottle will glow red and your shot glass will instantly fill."

"So, we all know the rules, right?" Erin said, looking around at the two men. "If you're picked you choose to tell the truth, or do a dare. If you tell a lie, you take a shot. If you refuse to answer a question or complete a dare, you take a double shot. Got it?"

Both men nodded, and Sirius rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Who goes first?" he asked.

"Why don't you go, since you wanted to play so badly?" Remus suggested.

"All right!" The black haired man grinned. He looked closely at his two companions and eventually settled his eyes on Remus. "Truth or dare, Moony?" he asked a little too eagerly.

Remus seemed to deeply consider his options before finally answering, "Truth."

Sirius seemed almost disappointed, but his smile quickly returned. "How long has it been since you've gotten laid?"

Remus blushed and cleared his throat in embarrassment. "Uh, about two years… I think," he admitted, haltingly. The bottle stayed its normal brownish color and Sirius chuckled making Remus blush even more.

Erin shot him a small understanding smile, and waved a hand for him to take his turn. Remus glared evilly at his long-time friend, and Sirius, taking that as a challenge, crossed his arms and smirked in a 'bring it on' kind of way.

"Truth or dare, Dog," he snarled.

"Truth," Sirius replied instantly.

"How long has it been since _you've_ been laid?" Remus knew that two years was nothing to a man who'd spent 12 years in prison. Still, the answer rather surprised him.

"Nine months," Sirius smiled. "Just before I started staying in Hogsmeade."

"With who?" Remus demanded, after confirming that the plain brown bottle remained unchanged.

Sirius smiled smugly. "You'll have to wait until your next turn if you want to know."

Remus rolled his eyes. "Fine. Back to you."

Sirius grinned and turned to Erin. "All right, my dear. Truth or Dare?"

"Umm, truth?" She answered slowly. The strange glint in his eyes made her nervous.

"Are you a virgin?"

It should have been a simple question, but because her life was so strange recently it was actually hard to answer. "Ah, well…you know that in my other life I have two kids. I'm a thirty-two year old divorcee. But here…in this teenager's body…I honestly have no idea."

Sirius shot her a disbelieving look. "How can you not know?"

She blushed and shrugged. "I've just never…you know…checked."

"So, you haven't gotten any action since you crossed over to our reality, then?" Sirius asked, and she noted the slightly lecherous grin on his face.

Remus noticed it too and stepped in. "One question at a time, Padfoot. Rremember?"

Sirius growled lightly, but motioned for her to take her turn. Erin shot Remus a thankful smile and sat back on her heels trying to decide who to pick. "Sirius, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare," he said quickly. The look in his eyes told her he was ready for whatever she threw at him.

Erin contemplated him for a moment. She could feel the challenge in his stare and it encouraged her. Not being one to disappoint she smiled wryly and nodded. "Take off your shirt and flex for us."

She wasn't sure his grin could get any wider. Without preamble he stood and slowly unbuttoned his pajama shirt. With heavily lidded eyes, he slowly slid the soft cotton material off his broad shoulders letting it float to the floor at his feet. Erin was surprised at how muscular and defined his chest was. His tattoos covered the firm curves and angles of his pectorals and stomach and went even lower, disappearing down below the waistband of his bottoms. She wondered idly exactly how far down they went. Sirius waggled his eyebrows at her when he saw how intently she was watching him, then he started to flex.

Erin burst out laughing at how comically he did it. He had obviously seen weightlifters do their stuff before and he was parodying them perfectly except for the ridiculous faces he pulled. Even Remus started to chuckle which made the whole thing even more hilarious. Erin was practically doubled over gasping for breath between guffaws, tears rolling down her face from the lack of oxygen before Sirius finally, laughingly, resumed his seat. Oddly, he left his shirt on the floor behind him, not bothering to put it back on.

"My turn," Sirius announced, still grinning. "Remus, Truth or Dare?"

"Oh, why not…Dare," The handsome werewolf said, somewhat resigned.

"Since, I don't want to be the only half naked eye-candy for the little lady here, why don't you take your shirt off too," Sirius dared.

Remus blanched physically and he took a moment to decide; his eyes wandering back and forth between the bottle and Sirius and Erin (who suspected that he was more self-conscious about the extent of his scars than he let on). Finally he sighed and sat up to pull off the simple grey tee he usually wore to bed. Erin felt her skin flush with warmth and a familiar tingle blossomed low stomach in her belly as he slowly dragged the shirt off to expose his body. He was slim and pale, and yes, the scars were there, but they did not draw her eye as acutely as the smooth, toned stomach that he had been hiding. The muscles there were hard and they rippled provocatively as he lifted his arms to pull the shirt away.

She must have made a sound because Remus reddened and smiled shyly at her, and Sirius glowered.

"I suppose it's my turn," Remus said, as he resumed his seat on the floor. "Sirius, Truth or dare?"

"Back to me, eh?" Sirius smirked. "I think I'll go with the truth."

"Losing your backbone, old friend?" Remus taunted good naturedly. "All right, did you really kiss Lily when we were in sixth year?"

Sirius grimaced and then smiled secretively. "I know there were rumors flying around back then," he said slowly. "Hell, even James cornered me about it. But you know…sometimes rumors are fun!" he barked a laugh, as he grabbed the bottle and filled his shot glass. He downed the double shot in one, and cleared his throat as the liquor burned its way down his esophagus.

"Unfair!" Remus complained with a chuckle. "I've always wanted to know the truth about that one."

"Too bad, it's my turn." He turned back to Erin. "Truth or Dare, love?"

"I think I'll stick with the truth for now," she nodded.

"Chicken," Sirius teased. "Okay, we'll play it your way. Tell me, in detail, about your most exciting sexual encounter."

Erin couldn't have turned redder if she had been sitting in the brightest sunlight for hours. "Ah, hell," she muttered, making both Remus and Sirius chuckle. "That's another tough one actually." She sat in silence for quite some time simply trying to remember if she'd ever actually had any truly exiting sexual encounters. "You know, I can't think of a single one," she admitted with a resigned sigh.

"What do you mean you can't think of one?" Sirius demanded, arching an eyebrow at her. "You were married. You have kids, so I know you've had sex. Are you suggesting that it was always bad?"

"No, not bad…just not…exciting," She shrugged. "I married my high school sweetheart. He was my first real boyfriend. We were both each other's first so neither of us really had any experience. It was all 'learn as you go', you know. Except that the only things either of us ever seemed to learn were new ways to please him." The last part came out slightly bitter.

She didn't even realize that she had fallen into remembrances, but the men let her talk, both out of respect and frank curiosity. "But, you've had…I mean…you've had pleasure before right?" Sirius asked, secretly hoping she'd say 'No' so he could offer to show her.

"Yes, but I had to learn it on my own," she admitted. "I lost my virginity at seventeen, I got married at twenty, I had my first child at twenty-four, and I had my first orgasm at twenty-five. That was when I finally got tired of waiting for him to figure things out and took matters into my own hands."

The men blinked in surprise, and when she looked up she saw that their mouths had fallen open. She knew that to men twenty-five was an unheard of age to wait for their first release. Hell, fifteen was pushing it for most of them.

"Don't look so surprised," she snapped. "There are women in this world who have never had one. Didn't there used to be a saying that suggested that ladies should close their eyes and think of England? Do you think a phrase like that would exist if women were as easy to get off as men?"

"But, how did you handle it?" Sirius gasped. "I mean, didn't you want it?"

"Of course I wanted it, but I didn't really know what I was missing, so I was able to do without. Besides, there were aspects of sex that I enjoyed regardless. My favorite part doesn't even have anything to do with me."

"What do you mean?" Remus asked without meaning to. He didn't really want to pry but her story intrigued him.

Erin smiled playfully. "I love when men cum," she explained. "I love the faces they make; I love the breathy little pants and moans, and the way they seem to shake and stiffen up all at once. I love how hard they get just before it happens. And, I especially love it if I'm the one causing it to happen."

She looked up to see that both men were still staring at her, only this time they were looking at her with a strange sort of awe and reverence and ...lust. She smiled inwardly feeling emboldened and finished up with, "Then again, nothing turns me on like watching a man masturbate. Damn that's sexy."

Someone groaned, but she couldn't tell who it was and by the time she looked up both of the men had turned away from her. "Anyway, are we still playing?"

"Y-yeah," Sirius nodded, turning back to her. "Um, but you never really answered the question, so take a drink."

Erin huffed, but filled her glass. She sniffed the liquor, having never tried it, and it burned her nose. Not a good sign. She took a deep breath, held it, and then tossed the drink back. The coughing fit began instantly. It felt like her throat was on fire and she gasped for air. "Holy shit!" she wheezed when she finally managed to get her lungs working again.

Both men laughed and Remus reached over to smack her on the back. "Be careful with that stuff. It's better to just sip if you're not used to it. Only people who have built up a tolerance can swig it like that."

"Thanks for the warning," she gasped, wiping heavy tears from her eyes and making them laugh again.

"Really clears the sinuses, doesn't it?" Sirius teased.

"Phew! Okay, it's my turn," she said when her throat stopped constricting. "Sirius, Truth or Dare?"

"Truth," he smiled.

"Have you ever kissed a guy?" she asked slyly.

Sirius grinned. "Yes, I have." Remus chuckled and Erin blinked in surprise. "Not to worry, love, it wasn't because I wanted to. I was dared to during a game of Truth and Dare."

"Oh, please, I have to know who it was!" she giggled.

Sirius arched an eyebrow at Remus who blushed and ran a hand through his sandy brown hair as he looked away. "No way!" Erin exclaimed, staring at each man in turn. "Oh, wow. What I would have paid to see that!"

"Makes you nervous to pick 'Dare' again doesn't it, Moony?" Sirius smirked. "All right, it's my turn. Erin, Truth or Dare?"

"Me again?" she sighed. "Oh, whatever. Dare, I guess."

Sirius smiled at her. "I think it's time you matched us. Take your nightgown off please."

Erin shook her head, mentally kicking herself. She should have seen that one coming. Thank goodness she always wore a bra when in company so it wasn't as if she'd be totally bare breasted. And, it was also good that she remembered to wear shorts under her nightgown tonight or she'd be completely naked. Still it was embarrassing. She gave the bottle a half hearted glance, but knew she couldn't handle another shot so soon and reluctantly sat up to pull off her nightgown.

She heard Sirius' click of disapproval when it was revealed that her body was still significantly obscured and she held back a rueful laugh. She tossed the clothing onto the couch and sat back on her legs. "Disappointed, are you?" she smiled, but he seemed happy enough to stare at her bra covered breasts.

"You hide a lot under your shirt don't you?" Sirius announced, taking in the sheer size of her bosom. He was right. She had always been top heavy and because of that she tended to wear oversized shirts and sports bras to conceal it. When she wore form fitting clothes men seemed to forget where her face was when talking to her. It was very annoying, and it used to make her ex super jealous when they were still together.

"So, it's my turn again? Okay, Remus, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare," he replied, as he snuck a peek at her chest.

"Take four big gulps from Sirius' fire whiskey bottle," she commanded. "Let's see how well you handle your alcohol."

Remus smiled and got up to retrieve the half empty bottle Sirius had left on his chair. Without hesitation he tipped it back and took four long pulls from it. The bastard didn't even sputter as the harsh liquid slid down his throat which prickled Erin's pride a bit. He had the gall to smirk at her before easing back onto the floor.

"Sirius, Truth or Dare."

"Dare," Sirius said immediately. He seemed to be waiting for a challenge.

"Drink the rest of that bottle," Remus said, tilting his head to the chair.

Sirius chuckled and reached over to snatch the bottle from the chair. He smiled at Erin over the top of it as he tipped the rest, which must have been at least six decent sized shots, down his throat. Like Remus, he did not choke or cough, but merely winced a bit at the end. Erin cursed, and he chuckled even louder.

"There's no reason to swear, love," he grinned widely. "We big boys have been drinking this stuff since we were practically kids. Now, Truth or Dare."

"Gah, why do you always pick on me?" she complained mildly. "Oh, dare, I guess."

"Kiss me."

She blinked at his words. He wanted her to kiss him? She gave him a contemplative look for a moment then smiled. With as much sensuality as she could muster, she pulled herself up on her hands and knees and slowly crawled toward him. She smiled seductively and slid her hand over his chest and up over his throat to wrap around the back of his head. With infinite slowness she pulled him toward her, licking her lips in apparent anticipation. Sirius' eyes popped as he watched her. He moaned lightly in the back of his throat as she came closer, and he felt his body react strongly to her sexy display. He felt her lips brush his then, and just as he went to pull her closer, she giggled and scrambled away.

"What the hell?" he frowned, confused at her sudden withdrawal.

"You said I had to kiss you, but you didn't say what kind of kiss you wanted, or how long it should last," she laughed and Remus, taking in his friend's befuddled expression, joined her.

"You little minx," Sirius hissed. "That was unfair."

"Be more specific next time," she grinned, unrepentant. "It's my turn. Truth or Dare," she said straight back to him.

"Dare, you little witch," he snarled playfully.

"Take off your pajama bottoms," she grinned.

He knew she expected him to shy away from the dare since his body was still reeling from her false seduction, but he simply shrugged and stood to untie the string that held the bottoms up. He fixed her with a fat, knowing smile as he pulled them down revealing soft red silk boxers behind which sprang a teeming erection. "Impressed?" he asked when he saw her gaze drift to the sizable bulge.

Collecting herself quickly, she flashed him a smile. "Not bad, Black."

He grinned down at her and then sat cross legged on the floor once again. "Sorry, Moony," he said glancing at his friend. "But, I'm not done with this tricky little girl yet. Truth or Dare, love."

She knew that whichever she chose, he would do his best to humiliate her. After what she'd done to him, he would be right to. So she bit the bullet and said, "Dare."

He gave her an impressed glance and then smiled wickedly. "I want you to sit on Remus' lap, wrap your legs round him, and make out with him for five full minutes."

Erin's jaw dropped and she looked at Remus to see the same expression mirrored in his features. She shook her head and gathered herself before addressing him. "Remus, if you don't want me to do this I'll gladly take the shots. I don't want to do anything that will make you uncomfortable."

Remus seemed to take slightly longer to get over his shock at the dare, but he eventually got himself together and gave her a gentle smile. "It's your dare. You have to choose to accept it or not. This is totally up to you."

She knew Sirius expected her to refuse; to prove that she was incapable of such an outrageous act, and that only encouraged her to go through with it. She quickly got to her feet and walked over to stand in front of Remus. Sending a sly backward glance toward Sirius, she slowly lowered herself onto Remus' lap then slid her legs around his hips.

"Sorry for this," she whispered in his ear before tilting his head back and pressing her mouth to his. The kiss started out chaste, but then she flicked her tongue against his lips and he opened his mouth for her. She realized instantly that he was very good at this as their tongues danced and dueled. Within moments she felt him respond. His hands wrapped around her back, pulling her closer, and his hips shifted to accommodate his rapidly growing erection. As the kiss became more heated she felt his hands drift lower to cup her bottom so he could hold her in place to increase the friction their bodies created. He moaned and the sound sent delicious shivers down her spine.

"Hold on to me, sweetheart," Remus whispered just before he lifted her up from his lap to lay her on the floor. He gently eased himself over her and she lifted her hips to wrap her legs around his waist once more. Remus smiled down at her then pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was deep, and intense, and absolutely exquisite, but, much to Erin's dismay he pulled back. She wondered vaguely if the five minutes were up already but then he began kissing and nibbling a pleasurable trail over her jaw and throat. She arched her back and tilted her head to give him greater access to her hot skin. Remus moaned again, louder this time, before dipping lower to plant soft kisses and flicks of his tongue across her upper chest, just above her bra encased breasts.

When he attacked her mouth again a short time later he began to eagerly grind their bodies together. His hardness felt so damned good pressing against her heat. The stretchy close fitting exercise shorts she wore did little to mask the intense firmness of his excitement, which strained against his thin pajama bottoms. Every time he ground it against her, she lifted her hips to meet him, each time hoping that the cloth barriers that separated them from truly coming together would simply melt away.

As for Remus, the friction was driving him mad. It had been too damned long since he had been this close and intimate with anyone. Somewhere in the back of his mind a faint voice was screaming at him to stop; that he had taken this too far, but the alcohol and his intense lust were far more convincing. All he wanted to do was tear off the remainder of her clothes and thrust himself into her eager body. Sadly, he knew that if he did manage to feel the tight heat of her body's grip on him he wouldn't be of use to her for very long since he was already half way there.

"Sorry you two," Sirius said, reminding them that he was even in the room. "As much as I'm enjoying your voyeuristic show, time's up."

It took several seconds for the impassioned two to hear his words, and eventually, reluctantly, they did stop. Each lay panting in the other's arms upon the floor. Remus' forehead was pressed against hers as they both allowed their hearts to slow, and their bodies to cool down. Finally Remus pulled away and shakily got to his feet. His body was still very obviously aroused and Erin sucked in her breath when she realized just how generously endowed he was. When he was pressed against her she could feel that he was big, but she'd had no idea it was _this_ much.

He held out a hand to help her to her feet and when she gripped it, he slowly lifted her, taking care to drag her body along his for one last little thrill. Sirius made a noise somewhere between a laugh, a groan, and a growl, as if he wasn't sure how he felt about all he'd just witnessed. Erin glanced over at him and saw intense hunger and, oddly, a flash of what almost seemed like anger or jealousy in his eyes. His gaze stayed fixed on her as she walked over to her place on the floor.

"I guess it's my turn," Erin said, once she had resumed her seat. "Sirius, Truth or Dare."

He gave her a knowing smile, picturing what deviousness she had planned for him in retribution. "Truth," he said brightly.

She shot him a look that clearly implied he was a coward, and took a moment to think of a truly embarrassing question. "Oh, okay!" she said once she thought of one. "Did you enjoy watching us? Did we make you hot?"

Sirius glanced between them and had the grace to flush over red. "Yes, it made me hot, but I didn't enjoy just _watching_ you."

She blushed brightly at the implication. "I don't think I'm up for a threesome," she murmured.

"Well, it's my turn, Erin. Truth or Dare," he grinned.

"Oh, come on!" she howled. "Pick Remus once in a while, would you!" She huffed for a moment then snapped, "Dare."

"Take two shots," he smiled, motioning to the bottle.

"Oh, I see," she hissed. "Even if I refuse I'll have to take the shots anyway. Fine, whatever!" She snatched the bottle and poured a shot. Taking care to sip slowly, she choked her way through the first. "Oh, God, you're trying to kill me!" she accused as she reluctantly poured the second shot. It went down slightly easier, but it was still rough.

Not being much of a drinker, the third shot of the evening went right to her head. She felt it warm her from the inside and it made the room spin slightly. After a minute she felt light and wobbly, but all together content. "That's not bad," she grinned, and she surprised them by grabbing the bottle and taking another long pull. "It's been a long time since I've been drunk," she smiled when she finally stopped coughing.

"Take it easy, my dear," Remus warned, taking the bottle from her. "This stuff is quite potent."

"Neither of you appear drunk," she said, her words slurring slightly. "And you've had loads more than me."

"Just because we don't seem it, doesn't mean we aren't," Sirius explained. "We weren't allowed to have this stuff in our dorm, but we did it anyway, and we had to learn quickly how to act sober around other people. Plus, as we've said, we have a much greater tolerance than most."

"Whatever, it's my turn," she grinned, feeling quite relaxed. "Remus, Truth or Dare."

He looked at her for a moment and she shuddered when she saw his eyes slide over her body. He seemed torn, as if he wanted to pick dare just so she'd ask him to kiss her again or more…but he shook his head and to her great disappointment, chose "Truth."

Erin smiled softly, but it soon became devilish. "If we hadn't been interrupted before, would you have stopped on your own?"

Remus swallowed hard and shook his head. "Not until you told me to," he said with complete sincerity. He didn't look to see Erin's reaction; instead he turned to his fellow marauder. "Sirius, Truth or Dare."

"Dare," his former cohort replied immediately.

Remus, feeling as though he owed his friend for the amazing (and amazingly embarrassing) experience he'd had, decided to repay him. "Make out with Erin for five minutes, or until she asks you to stop," he said, and he immediately saw the gleam in his friend's eyes. Erin was looking at him curiously, but she didn't argue. Still, he felt he owed her an explanation. "For comparisons sake, dear," he said.

She shrugged and turned to face Sirius who was slinking his way toward her. He looked good in just his red boxers and she soon found herself anticipating this comparison.

Sirius began by wrapping his hand around the nape of her neck and bringing her close. He leaned over and breathed in her ear before nibbling lightly on her earlobe. Her slight shudder encouraged him, and he kissed his way from her throat to her jaw before finally descending on her already parted lips.

Erin noticed the difference in their kisses instantly. Where Remus was almost irreverently gentle at first before becoming demanding, Sirius started out that way. His kiss was deep and intense and thoroughly passionate. He spent a long time just exploring her mouth; his tongue seemed to be everywhere at once. Soon she had to pull away just to catch her breath, but he was having none of that. With a growl he pushed her back onto the floor and attacked her mouth again. His hands roamed down from her neck and shoulders to brush against the sides of her breasts, then down lower to grip her hips – using the leverage to drag his already stony erection against her heat.

Erin moaned and pushed back against him, wrapping her legs around him to bring them closer. Her tense fingers gripped the firm lines of his back, holding him tight to her. The thin silk of his boxers did almost nothing to prevent her from feeling his full length grinding against her, and she fought the urge to drag them from his body completely.

Sirius finally left her mouth to bathe her jaw and the line of her throat with hungry licks and nips. He suddenly latched on to her throat and began to suck voraciously. She knew he was giving her a major hickey, but it felt too good for her to make him stop. Once done with her throat, he kissed his way to her collar bone, and down over her chest to the swell of her breasts. For a moment he did nothing, and she peeked through half closed lids to see him eyeing the creamy swells like a starving man at a banquet. Then he descended – his whole face was soon buried in her bosom. With a hiss of impatience, he yanked the material of her bra away from one breast and he latched onto the already taut nipple, making it harder, if that was possible. One hand left her hips to help lavish the exposed orb with more sensual attention.

Erin moaned again, and a responding moan came from nearby. Strangely, it did not come from Sirius, who in his exploration of her, didn't seem to have heard it. Erin tilted her head to the side to see Remus watching them intently. His face was tinged red, and while one of his hands was fisted at his side, the other was slowly stroking over the obvious bulge in his bottoms.

She watched the intent expression on his face, and the way his hand almost negligently caressed his body. It was simply too much. Between the amazing sensations Sirius was creating all over her body, and the intense visual stimuli Remus provided, she could feel herself rapidly flying into overdrive. It took one more deep grind of his length against her heat to send her soaring.

"Oh, God!" she screamed, as she arched her back and held Sirius tighter to her. He could feel her shudder beneath him, and he tried to smile, but it quickly dissolved into a long groan. His tempo picked up and his hands and mouth seemed everywhere at once.

"Wait!" she panted. "Stop, please stop!"

"What's wrong?" Sirius gasped, reluctantly slowing above her.

"It's too much!" she cried. "I need to breathe!"

With a groan, Sirius pulled away from her. He sat on his heels for a moment with his chin on his chest, gasping for air. His body was still completely, obviously aroused and much to her embarrassment there was a large wet spot on his boxers, and she knew without looking that there was a similar patch on her own shorts; a result, she guessed, from her own explosive release.

"I'm sorry, Sirius," she whimpered, rising up on her elbows .

He gave a half smile without looking up. "There's no need to apologize, love," he said hoarsely. "Our time's up anyway."

Erin glanced over at Remus who was giving her the same gentle smile, though he was still flushed and breathing rather heavily.

"I think I need something to drink," she said, as she stood on wobbly legs and walked over to where Remus had left the fire whiskey. She tipped it back, taking a nice sized mouthful which she slowly swallowed. A light tap on her leg brought her attention to Remus who held his hand out for the bottle. She handed it to him and he took several healthy swigs for himself, before passing it to Sirius who finished off almost half of it in seconds.

"Well, that was interesting," Remus said, and Sirius grunted in reply. He looked up at Erin to see that her form was stiff and her hands were fisted at her sides. "You're being awfully quiet, my dear."

Erin took a deep steadying breath, and shook her head dejectedly. "I'm so embarrassed."

"Why?" Sirius asked, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. He began to sway lightly, taking her with him into a gentle rocking rhythm.

"My behavior tonight has been…indecent," she told them miserably. "I've never been so wanton; so uninhibited."

Sirius grinned and planted several light kisses on her shoulder. "The night's not over yet, love."

"I'm being sincere!" she complained.

Remus stood and stroked a gentle hand over her cheek. "There's no reason to feel embarrassed with us," he said softly. "You haven't done anything to feel ashamed of. Just think of this as an exercise in relief for three people who have had a very rough go of it. No one here is judging you. In fact, we think you're marvelous."

"More than marvelous," Sirius interjected huskily, leaning over to nibble her ear.

Erin sucked in a breath as the fire in her veins that had been slowly simmering down flared brightly again. She cleared her throat and tried to step away before she lost the tenuous grasp she still had on her self control, but Sirius seemed reluctant to let her go. She considered the hyper-excited state she had probably left him in and it made her feel worse. A small part of her wanted to offer to assist him in finding relief, but she rationalized that if she helped Sirius, it would be unfair to let Remus languish. Her deep rooted senses of modesty and propriety were already shaken to the core, and no amount of excuses or rationalizations would be able to justify such outlandish, slutty behavior.

Her mind worked furiously to find a way out of this precarious, mortifying situation and it eventually settled on a discreet retreat. "Thanks," she murmured with embarrassed honestly. "Um, it's getting late. Maybe we should all go to bed."

She felt Sirius' deep rumbling chuckle through her back as he held her. "I thought you said you weren't up for a threesome?" He teased.

"You know what I mean!" she said as another wave of embarrassment passed over her.

"We can't go to sleep yet!" he murmured. "The game's not over yet."

Erin sighed and managed to wiggle out of his enticing embrace before turning to face him evenly. "I can't imagine how much further this game could go. Well, I can, but I have to admit that it scares me."

"Why should it scare you?" Sirius asked bemusedly. "Neither of us will ever hurt you. Didn't I stop the moment you asked me to? I swear to you that neither of us would ever force you to do something you didn't want."

"That's just it!" she moaned. "The things I want and the things that are good for me are often two very different things. I've had to learn that the hard way, and it's not a lesson I take lightly. I didn't _want_ to stop with either of you. I wanted to let myself drown in those amazing sensations, but then what will it lead to? What happens tomorrow when I can't look myself in the mirror, let alone face either of you two again? I'm scared because I have never been this uninhibited before."

"You're being too hard on yourself," Remus said as he came to stand beside her. "We're not suggesting that you should do something you are truly uncomfortable with, but I do think that you might be focusing too much on appearances and the opinions of others than on yourself. From what I've learned of you, I'd have to say that you have lived a rather subjugated and repressed life. Now that that existence has quite literally been cast aside, why should you continue to behave as though there is still someone holding you back? If you are ever going to be free and live your life for yourself, now is the time."

"Damn the consequences?" She laughed, jokingly.

"Precisely!" Sirius grinned.

Erin swallowed hard and shook her head sadly. "I don't know if I can. I'm not sure I know how. Guilt and repression are things that have been instilled in me. If I know anything, it's that people are judgmental. If I behave in a way that isn't normal or acceptable, people might look down on me."

Sirius held his arms out and looked around the room sarcastically. "Who here is going to judge you? All I see are the three of us, and who are Remus or I to say what's normal? We're an escaped convict and a werewolf. We wouldn't know normal if it jumped up and bit us on the ass. And you…!" he motioned toward her. "You are a reality-shifting time traveler. Please tell me what's normal or acceptable about any of us!"

She could see his point, but doubt and self-effacing guilt still nagged at her. "B-but what if anyone else found out what we've done – _what I've done_ – what will they say? What will they think of me?"

"I see," Remus said slowly. "And who do you plan on telling?"

"No one!" she gasped, appalled that he would suggest such a thing.

"Then why should anyone know?" he pressed. "I know I'm not about to discuss my private doings with anyone. It's none of their business. Sirius, who are you going to discuss this with?"

"Not a damn soul," The Raven haired man said without hesitation.

Remus took her face in his hands and met her eyes with his own. "Now, I don't honestly care if we keep playing or not, But I don't want you to quit because of some ridiculous self imagined recrimination. You are an amazing person and nothing anyone says will ever change that. Neither Sirius nor I will ever breathe a word of what happened here tonight and even if anyone should suspect, we would never propagate or give credence to gossip or hearsay."

"So, what do you say?" Sirius probed, a hint of a smile playing on his kissable lips. "Shall we keep on, or do you really want to turn tail and give up?"

Erin closed her eyes as a barrage of thoughts rushed through her head, and yet as they flew by there was one that kept reappearing. Every time she thought of an argument or excuse as to why she should walk away it got louder and louder until it eventually drowned everything else out. Didn't she deserve to let herself go just once? She had been given a second chance to live her life, so why shouldn't she enjoy it?

Finally she opened her eyes and gave one short nod. "Oh, why not? Let's play."

...

HA! That's right...I left it off there!

Now, maybe if more of you leave reviews I'll write the next chapter!

Just Kidding! That would be totally bitchy ;)

(But seriously...I need more reviews!)


	12. A blessing in disguise

A few things before we begin:

Firstly, it has come to my attention that I've made another continuity mistake. In the first few chapters of this fic I stated that Andy was Erin's eldest child and Cassie was the youngest. In recent chapters though, I mistakenly flip-flopped them, making Andy the youngest. Therefore, we are going to pretend for the sake of some consistency that Cassie is the eldest child. I'm sorry I didn't catch this mistake earlier.

Second, the main reason this fic is taking so long to come out is that it insists on changing from what I had initially planned and I keep fighting with myself if this is really how I want it to play out. In the end I had to make a decision and stick with it, and I can only hope that you like how things are unfolding. At this moment I have a vague idea of what will happen next but it may take some time for me to work it out properly. Please bear with me!

Legal side note: I do not own Harry Potter. No matter how badly I wish I did!

...

Chapter 12

The early morning sunlight seeped in through the windows bathing the room in a dull yellow hue. To Erin, the light was like sharp daggers that stabbed at her eyes; jarring her awake. She groaned lightly as pain and nausea rolled through her belly and speared her head. For a moment all she could do was gasp as her body clenched; protesting the after effects of over-indulgence.

It took several minutes for her mind to focus on anything other than the gut-wrenching pain, but then blurred images began to form. They were scattered, and separately, were nonsensical. She remembered laughter and heat and an abundance of alcohol. They had been playing a game…Truth or Dare. She remembered their kisses, and the touch of their hands and her intense release. Afterward, there had been guilt and remorse, but they had somehow convinced her to keep playing. And there was _so much alcohol_! The images became fuzzy and hard to decipher.

Another flash of memory sent her gasping. She sat straight up in her bed and twisted around to inspect the space beside her. She was certain _someone_ had been there. The bed was empty now and confusion washed over her again, along with a new, heavier wave of sickness. She groaned and staggered to her feet; just barely making it to the bathroom before intense heaves wracked her body, forcing her stomach to expel its contents.

She splashed cold water on her face and rinsed her mouth out as best she could. As she stood gasping and trembling, her hands on the basin to support her shivering body, another memory flickered dully from the depths of her brain.

She was kissing someone and giggling uncontrollably as they struggled to climb the steps toward her room. It was difficult because they were both so very drunk, and they simply couldn't keep their hands off of each other. Several times they had fallen during their intoxicated journey and Erin gingerly rubbed her bottom; feeling the tell-tale bruises there.

They had eventually made it. She was certain of that. She remembered flashes of passionate embraces. He had been wild over her as his body filled hers again and again. Erin's head shot up in alarm. Had they been safe? Had he thought to cast the contraceptive charms? Had she? She couldn't remember clearly, but somehow, she didn't think so.

_Crap!_ She moaned inwardly. As if this situation weren't bad enough! Without another thought she turned on the water and climbed hastily into the shower. There were no clothes to shed – she was already quite naked. Once within the hot streams of water she began to scrub her skin hard. She was sore everywhere. When her hands skimmed between her legs she jumped. The flesh there was too sensitive and it throbbed dully. Her hand came away coated with the remnants of his release tinged red with blood. There wasn't much of it. Her hymen, she assumed. So she had been a virgin after all.

She vaguely remembered pain then; just one small flash of it as he had first thrust into her. It had been mild, and easily ignored. Between the alcohol and the pleasure of his body writhing over hers, she had hardly noticed it.

She scrubbed herself thoroughly, trying to wash away her pain and confusion along with the evidence of their passion. There were so many questions…so many blank spots in her memory. The most important thing, the thing she struggled the hardest to grasp, the thing that refused to come to her no matter how hard she tried, was the identity of her lover.

She couldn't remember his face. Which one of them had it been? Which one had she given herself to? She had no idea. All she could remember was the feel of him; his intense kisses and his eager hands on her body. She thought hard about that, hoping that she could determine his identity from those remembrances, but no one feature could link her to the man.

Whichever he had been, he had sure left in a hurry. She assumed he had awoken, realized what he had done and crept away with his shame and regrets before she could wake and accuse him of taking advantage of her.

She wished he had stayed. Not only to so she would know who he was, but also so that she could assure him that the fault was double sided. How could she blame him when she was just as eager? Half of the fault lied with her, and if she had to admit it, she couldn't bring herself to regret what she had done. She had felt such terrible need. She had craved the pleasure and release. He had given her everything she wanted…if only she could figure out which one he had been!

Erin washed herself quickly and then brushed her teeth before grabbing up her robe and returning to her bedroom. She sat down on the bed and stared blankly at the spot beside her. He had been there. After they had exhausted themselves he had stretched out on that spot and pulled her into his arms. She sighed and ran a hand through her wet hair before falling back onto her pillow.

She struggled to figure out how to proceed. She needed to find a way to talk to them without humiliating herself or offending them. Should she just walk up to them and say, "Hi, I was just wondering which one of you popped my cherry last night, because I can't remember?"

Erin groaned and pulled the pillow over her face in frustration. It was a hopeless situation. If she had any sort of backbone, she would just confront them. However, she knew she didn't have the nerve to just blurt it out like that. It was a delicate situation that required tact and more than a bit of courage. At the moment she didn't feel at all courageous.

The sorting hat had said she belonged in Gryffindor because she possessed the courage to see hardships through to the end. How wrong it had been. All she wanted to do was find a way to go home and hide away from her misery. At least there she would be faced with normal mundane problems. She felt so out of place here. Sure, she was adept at magic. Her skills increased every day. But regardless of her rigorous training, she doubted she would ever be able to use her skills against a true adversary – she just didn't have it in her. Moody was right. She was pathetic.

Erin was wallowing in self doubt and recriminations when a small knock resounded at her door. Her heart skipped and anxiety flooded her. Surely it was one of the men. How could she face him after what had happened? She wasn't ready to see either one of them yet.

He knocked again and she sighed, knowing there was no hope for it. "Come in," she called softly, pulling the pillow from her head and reluctantly sitting up.

Remus opened the door and slowly made his way to her bedside. He had a small drink laden tray in his hands which he quickly moved to place on her dresser. She noticed that he purposefully avoided meeting her gaze as he walked by. After he had set down the tray he kept his back to her for several heartbeats before reluctantly turning to face her. She couldn't miss the dark red stain on his cheeks as he finally met her eyes.

"How are you this morning?" he asked politely, though there was strain in his voice.

Her eyes widened with comprehension. "It was you," she whispered in surprise. "It was the two of us…"

It seemed impossible that he could get any redder, but somehow he managed. He gave her one quick nod. "I wondered if you would remember," he admitted. "I could hardly remember myself at first. It was a shock to wake up in your bed…naked. For the longest time I couldn't remember how I came to be there."

"Three bottles of fire whiskey can do that," she agreed darkly.

"Yes, well. When I realized what we had done…what _I_ had done… I panicked. I left you to deal with it alone and for that I am so terribly sorry. I have no excuses for my behavior other than I was far too intoxicated to resist the temptation. You were so attractive; so eager…" he trailed off. "I hope I didn't hurt you with my…ah…enthusiasm. Can you ever forgive me?"

Erin sighed and then chuckled lightly, "Only if you can forgive me."

"Forgive you? For what?" Remus was appalled that she would even suggest such a thing. Why should she require forgiveness? He was older, and he should have been more aware of his limitations. He should have anticipated the outcome and drawn the line when he could feel things flying out of control. But he had wanted her so badly. He had _needed_ to touch her, to kiss her, to bury himself inside her and feel her body squeezing his so tightly. He had imagined again and again how it would feel and he had not been disappointed.

"You have done nothing wrong," he told her firmly as he sat down on the bed beside her. "The fault lies solely with me." When she went to protest he raised a hand to halt her. "However, if you need to hear me say it, then yes, I forgive you."

She smiled and they shared an uncomfortable silence for a moment. "So, what's on the tray?" she asked, trying to break the awkward tension between them.

"It's for hangovers," he told her as he retrieved the glass and handed it to her. "It will settle your stomach and take away your pain. I assumed you would feel just as sick as Sirius and I did and I thought you might need it."

"Sirius is awake?" she blinked. "He drank so much last night I sort of assumed he would sleep the day away." She took a sip of the bright orange liquid and tasted pumpkin and something sweet. It wasn't bad and as it hit her stomach she felt slightly better. It took some effort to swallow the entire contents, but when it was done she felt infinitely better.

"Not too bad, huh?" he smiled. "The potion for hangovers is fairly disgusting by itself so we put it in pumpkin juice to mask the flavor. And, yes, Sirius is awake. Alcohol doesn't impede him as much as it would you or I. Still he did overindulge and he paid the price for it before I managed to prepare the tonic."

Erin nodded absently. "Does he know what happened last night?" she whispered softly. "Does he know what we did?"

Remus arched an eyebrow at her. "I should think so," he shrugged lightly. "He asked me about it so I assume he remembers."

"He asked about it? Is he angry?" Erin's stomach twisted and she knew it had nothing to do with her hangover. She didn't want her best friend to be upset with her.

He made a confused face when he saw the worry in her eyes. "Why should he be angry? He dared us to do it."

"H-he dared us to…?" Her mouth fell open. Everything that had happened had been part of the game? She had slept with a trusted friend and put herself through a morning of misery because of a _dare_?

Remus watched the cascade of emotions that skittered across her features. There was shock, guilt, anger, confusion, embarrassment and pain. He wondered what was in her mind and which thoughts sparked which emotions.

"What do you remember from last night?" he asked quietly.

"Pretty much everything after we started playing again is a blur," she admitted sheepishly. "I remember snippets, but nothing substantial."

"Ah," he murmured nervously, dragging a hand thought his hair.

He looked so unsure and anxious that it made Erin worry even more. What had happened last night? What didn't he want to say?

"You might as well tell me," she groused. "I deserve to know what idiotic things I did."

He hesitated for a moment as if he was debating whether or not to tell her, but eventually he sighed. "I don't remember everything, but there are some things I will never forget."

"Well?" she prompted impatiently.

"I'm not proud of what I did last night," he admitted darkly. "Things got out of hand." He sighed again and seemed to steel his nerves. "I know I dared you to do a strip tease, and then you dared us to get naked too. There were a few things in between that aren't so clear, but I know you made out with us again and then Sirius dared you to…caress him intimately…with your mouth." He was blushing wildly as he spoke and his gaze refused to meet hers. "And then some time later he dared us to have sex. Well, actually he dared me to find out if you were really a virgin. That's all I remember clearly." He paused again, his face pained. "I am so sorry. It should never have happened."

Erin blanched. As he spoke flashes of memories popped into her head. She remembered dancing for them and then giggling as they pulled off their clothes. There were hot passionate kisses and strong eager caresses on her body. Then there were rough hands in her hair holding her still while she lapped at something hard that tasted smooth and salty as someone grunted and moaned nearby. She remembered the hands gripping her forcefully as a rush of warm fluid ran down her throat. And then she was laughing and struggling with Remus as they fumbled up the stairs to her room. Sirius had dared them to have sex after he had dared her to pleasure him? Why? Why would he take it that far knowing that at that point they would surely do it? Had he wanted them to, or was he hoping they'd refuse? Or had he intended Remus to use some other method to determine her virginity? Surely he would have known where the dare would lead. What had he done after they had left him and not returned?

"Thank you for telling me," she said evenly. "And as I said, all of us are to blame. No one person should feel bad for what all of us did. Um, I do have one question though. When we…ah…well, did we use any sort of protection?"

Remus groaned. "Shit," he murmured, dropping his head to his hands. "No, I don't think so. I didn't cast the spell, nor did I use any muggle contraceptives. Oh, hell. I am so sorry, Erin."

"Stop apologizing," she said softly as she turned his face toward her. "What's done is done. We will just have to wait and hope for the best. Um, besides lycanthropy you're healthy, right?"

Remus chuckled ironically. "You won't catch anything from me, if that is your concern. But, if we had a child I couldn't guarantee the same for it. Werewolves generally don't reproduce so it is unknown if the virus can be passed on to a child."

"I'm sure I will be fine," she assured him. "It's unlikely that I could get pregnant from one single sexual encounter. I mean it's possible, but still very unlikely."

"One?" Remus repeated quizzically. "Um…"

"Was there more?" she guffawed.

He shrugged and began to blush again. "It had been two years for me. The first time was very quick and afterward we rested for a bit, but you were still so eager and well…" he trailed off. "That's why I asked if I had hurt you with my enthusiasm."

"Oh," she blinked in surprise. "Well, even so. I'm sure it will be okay."

"You're still not angry with me?" he asked uncertainly. "You should be furious."

Erin sighed. "I knew the direction the game was heading. How could I not after what had already happened. I could have quit at any time, but I chose to continue. I _wanted_ to keep going. I can't blame you for that and I can't blame Sirius for it either."

Remus shook his head in a bemused way. "Well, I certainly don't want you to be upset, but if I were you I'd be livid. However, I promise that I will take responsibility for my actions regardless of the outcome."

She smiled at him, unintentionally doubting his words. She remembered all too well the way he'd tried to abandon his wife when she was pregnant during The Deathly Hallows. Only after Harry had berated him had he come to his senses. Erin knew that it was not a matter of him being unwilling to take on the responsibility, but that his fear of the unknown had clouded his judgment. Even so, she highly doubted there was anything to worry about. She was fully aware of her monthly cycle and her fertile window was not supposed to begin for another week or so.

"Anyway, if you're interested I thought I'd make breakfast soon," Remus offered as he collected the tray and started toward the door. He was halfway there before he suddenly stopped and slapped his hand against his forehead. "I forgot to tell you. Severus left a message for you. He said he cannot keep his usual tutoring appointment with you this week and he wondered if I could escort you to the castle for your lesson this morning instead. If you aren't feeling up to it I can let him know."

Generally she had her potions lessons with Severus in the Grimmauld Place kitchen on Thursdays. It was Dumbledore's decision to have them there as he felt it was too dangerous for her to have to apparate to Hogsmeade and walk the distance to the castle once a week. She thought he was being overly cautious but she really didn't mind. All of her other tutors came to her, so why should Severus be any different? Sirius, of course, hated the arrangement as it meant he had to share his home with Snape for a few extra hours each week.

"Is he sure it will be okay?" she asked. "After all, Professor Umbrage is there now and if she sees either of us she might cause trouble."

He shook his head. "I won't be going inside. Severus will meet us at Hagrid's hut and he will walk you the rest of the way. You'll have to use an invisibility cloak so that no one recognizes you. Thankfully, we still have the one Albus loaned to Mundungus so there shouldn't be a problem."

"That should be fine," she shrugged. "I feel okay now so I don't see why I shouldn't go."

Remus nodded. "Come down soon then and eat. He wants us there by nine and it's just after eight now."

"Okay, I'll be quick."

Erin got ready as fast as possible and made it down to the kitchen in record time. Remus was just finishing the meal as she opened the door. He smiled at her as he filled a plate and sat it at the table, waving at her to take a seat.

Sirius was there, sipping at his coffee while he read the Daily Prophet. He did not look up as she sat down. Erin peeked at him several times as she began to eat and she noted with some concern that he only tore his eyes away from his paper when Remus sat his plate in front of him. Even then he did not even glance in her direction.

She couldn't help but worry. Was he angry with her? Was he disappointed that she had gone to bed with Remus and left him alone? Or was he embarrassed about everything that had occurred? Was that why he was fastidiously avoiding her? Or was she simply reading too much into his odd behavior? Well, there was one easy way to find out.

"How are you this morning, Sirius?" she asked casually.

For a moment he did nothing, and in fact he seemed to freeze at the sound of her voice, but then he grunted once to signify a response and then immediately went back to his meal. Not once did he look at her. A very bad sign. Never, in the whole time she'd lived here, had he ignored her like this. Even when Harry was here monopolizing his time, he at least acknowledged her.

Erin sighed and glanced at Remus who seemed totally focused on finishing his breakfast. If he noticed anything awry he didn't let on. He had told her that Sirius had spoken to him that morning so it seemed he was talking to his male friend, but not to her. Why?

She was just beginning to drift from confusion to anger when Remus glanced up at the clock on the wall. "We have to go," he told her as he quickly finished up his coffee. "Are you nearly ready?"

She frowned at her plate and found that it was still mostly full. It was a shame. She hated to waste food but for some reason her appetite had vanished. She nodded and quickly got to her feet; wanting to get out of the kitchen as fast as possible because she knew if she stayed she would not be able to hold her tongue. Sirius' attitude was pissing her off and she wanted him to tell her what it was all about. She swore to herself as she made her way to the front door that she would confront her raven haired friend and demand an explanation as soon as she returned.

Once outside Remus took her arm and turned, pulling her along as they apparated away. When she opened her eyes next she was standing at the front gate to the school. The huge metal bars parted for them and Remus led her along the worn dirt path to Hagrid's hut.

As promised, Severus waited there for them. He greeted them both and then turned to Remus. "Our lesson will last for two hours so be back at this spot no later than eleven. I am expected at a meeting with the Dark Lord at half-past and I cannot be late." Then he turned toward her. "Erin we have several things to cover today so we must begin as soon as…what the hell is that!"

Erin who had been casually admiring the scenery (while her stormy thoughts dwelled over the problem with Sirius) suddenly snapped to attention. Her first instinct was to search the area for whatever threat had caused him to react so sharply, but she saw nothing out of the ordinary and then she realized he was staring at her with an expression of mixed horror and outrage.

"What?" she asked alarmed. She glanced down to make sure she was properly dressed and that there wasn't some horrible insect or something crawling on her.

"Who did that to you?" he demanded furiously.

She had no idea what he was talking about when he suddenly reached over and yanked the collar of her shirt away from her neck. Puzzlement was replaced with mortification when she realized what he was seeing. Deep purple bruised skin lying just over the pulse on her throat. Obvious proof of a passionate encounter. Sirius' hickey.

She kicked herself mentally. She had forgotten all about it; hadn't even noticed it when she was hurriedly getting ready. Her hair had probably kept Remus from seeing it, and of course Sirius hadn't noticed because he hadn't bothered to look at her.

Severus instantly swung his intense black eyes upon Remus, who flinched slightly and glanced away. It was a smart thing to do considering that Severus could see into his mind if he maintained eye contact. However, the action couldn't have been interpreted as anything other than guilt and the look on Severus' face became livid.

"Did you do that to her?" he demanded. "Or was it that perverted moron friend of yours? I _KNEW_ it was a bad idea for her to live there, but I trusted that you two disgusting lechers could at least manage to keep your damned hands to yourselves!"

"Severus!" Erin snapped, forcing his attention onto her instead of poor Remus. "He didn't do this to me, and he doesn't deserve to be treated this way. Why would you just assume it was one of them? I am free to date, am I not? Or have there been some new celibacy restrictions placed on me that I am not aware of. I don't have to explain anything I do in my private time to anyone – least of all you!"

He seemed stunned that she had spoken to him so forcefully, but he quickly recovered. "You know you cannot leave Grimmauld place unaccompanied, and if you were allowed to do so, even for a _date_…" he spat the word as if it both disgusted and enraged him, "then your supposed 'protectors' have much to answer for."

He whipped back to face Remus again and they began to argue loudly. Erin was preparing to step in once more when a loud, resounding CRACK rent the air. Instantly all three of them froze and in the next second the men had their wands out and were flanking her sides.

"What was that?" Remus asked as his eyes scanned the surrounding area.

Severus was just as wary as he searched the forested land beyond them. "It sounded like apparation, but no one can apparate on school grounds."

As they meticulously inspected the visible area around them Erin thought she heard a whisper of sound. It was faint and difficult to focus on, but it drew all of her attention and set her heart to racing. It was achingly familiar and without thought she began heading in the direction she thought it was coming from.

"Erin, wait!" Remus snapped as he made to grab her arm. She side-stepped him and suddenly took off running.

"Erin!" she heard them shout, but she didn't care. The sound was getting louder the faster she ran, and even though the men were attempting to follow her, there was no way they could catch her.

The stone circle was in her view then and she just knew that what she was seeking lay in their midst. She skidded to a stop less than a yard from the tall stones where the sound was loud and unmistakable. She would have known it anywhere. If she were in a crowd of people yelling at the top of their lungs she still could have picked it out of the din because her heart recognized it.

Faintly she heard the men racing to catch up with her but she couldn't wait for them. Stepping in between two of the large stones she discovered a missing piece of her soul.

"Cassie?" she breathed. It was hard to make the words come out as more than a whisper because of the way her heart was clenching.

She heard the men come to a stop directly behind her, but it couldn't have mattered less. The child sobbing on the ground had raised large tear streaked eyes to her and at once puzzlement filled them.

"Mommy?" Cassie said in a voiced laced with confusion and apprehension. "Mommy, is that you?"

Erin gasped and then threw herself to the ground at the child's side; instantly pulling her close. "It's me, sweetheart!" She cried as she held her child tightly to her. "It's mommy!"

"Mommy!" Cassie cried burying her face in Erin's shoulder. Neither could speak for several minutes as heavy sobs wracked their bodies. Erin could hardly breathe through the emotions that flooded her. Her child! Her oldest child was here! It was a miracle!

Finally, when she had drained off the excess emotion, Erin pulled back to look into her beloved child's face. She glanced up at the men who seemed rooted to the spot as they watched the unbelievable reunion before them. "This is my daughter, Cassiopeia."

"I don't know where I am," the child moaned. "I was sleeping and then I was falling through colors and when I landed I didn't know where I was. I was so scared and I started crying, and then you came." She made an odd face as she examined her mother. "You look different, Mommy. You look like a kid."

"I know, I know!" Erin laughed, hugging the child again. "But it's still me, sweetheart, I promise."

When she pulled away again she took a closer look at her daughter. It took several seconds to realize that something was just slightly off with her appearance.

"You look a little different too," she mused. It wasn't a terribly obvious change. It was very subtle, but to a mother's keen eye it was noticeable. She sensed the men shift behind her as the said the words. Undoubtedly they were just as confused as she was, and most likely were on high alert as well. Still, there was no way she was going to let them interrupt this moment regardless of their fears.

"I didn't get younger too, did I?" the child asked appalled. To her, reaching the age of seven had taken forever. She didn't want to have to do it all over again.

"No," Erin laughed, running her hand across the little girl's cheek. She couldn't stop touching her! It was amazing that miracles could be so tangible. "It's your hair," she smiled, and then she made a slightly disgruntled face. "You didn't let daddy's new girlfriend dye it, did you? It seems lighter." It was true. Cassie's hair had always been a medium brown just like Jack's was. Now it was several shades lighter.

The child shook her head, and Erin shrugged, laughing once more. "It doesn't matter. All that matters is that you're here." Her heart lurched then and she scanned the grounds frantically. "Cassie?" she asked shakily. "Where's your sister? Have you seen her?"

Cassie shook her head again. "She was in her own bed when I fell asleep. I was all alone when I woke up here."

Erin gasped and swung an extremely concerned gaze toward the two men behind her. At once they too began to comb the land with their eyes.

"We will search," Severus vowed. "But I must inform Albus of what has happened. Stay here and wait for me to return." He was off in an instant, hurrying along the bridge toward the castle.

Cassie watched him go with a curious yet apprehensive look on her face. After a moment she turned toward Remus and looked him over with the same uneasy expression. She kept her eyes on him as she pressed closer to her mother's familiar and comforting embrace.

"Mommy?" she whispered, trying to keep her voice from carrying toward the strange man who seemed torn between watching their impossible reunion and scouring the area for any signs of another child. "Mommy, I don't understand what's going on. Where are we? Who are those men? Why do you look different? Where are daddy and Andy? When can we go home?"

She had begun her inquiry in a small, calm voice but as fear of the unknown gripped her, the words became incrementally louder and shrill. The child's wild fear was palpable and as her small body began to tremble Erin noticed her skin begin to tingle. All around them the ground began to shake slightly, and tiny stones began to rise out of the dirt and hover in thin air. Cassie didn't seem to notice, as huddled against her mother as she was, but a glance at Remus told Erin that he too was as captivated by the spectacle as she was.

"Okay, calm down sweetheart," she cooed, as she ran a comforting hand over her child's hair. "Everything will be fine. I'm here, I'm here."

It took a moment for Cassie to settle and as she did the Earth settled as well. "Okay, hon," Erin sighed. "Let me try to answer some of your questions. Right now we are on the grounds of a school for very special children. Do you see that big castle over there? That's actually a school."

Cassie's eyes went wide as she took in the huge stone edifice in the distance. "_That's_ a school?" She gasped with unabashed awe.

"Yes," Erin smiled, relieved that the impressive sight was enough to distract the child from her dark worries. "Believe it or not that is a school that teaches children _magic_."

Cassie rolled her eyes and sighed with seeming exasperation before leveling her mother with a skeptical glare. "There's no such thing as magic, mom!" she scoffed.

"I didn't think so either when I first came here, but I swear it's true. Watch this." Erin reached into her jacket and pulled out her wand. She plucked one of the larger stones from the ground and placed it in Cassie's hand. "Alohomora!" she incanted, and with a gasp Cassie watched as the little rock floated upward from her palm.

"How…did…you…do ...THAT!" She squealed with shock and delight.

"I arrived here very much like you did," Erin smiled. "I was, and still am, very confused as to how and why it happened. I still don't have the answers. But, I did learn that I can wield magic here. I lived in that castle for several months and they taught me how to do many amazing things. They are still teaching me only now I live with some friends I've made here. This man's name is Remus, and he is one of my friends," she said, nodding in his direction.

Cassie looked him over once again and managed a wan smile, then she turned back to her mother. "Can he do magic too?" she asked quietly.

"He is one of my teachers." Erin grinned. "He is a very talented wizard, and a very nice person. You don't have to be shy round him."

Cassie didn't seem totally convinced, but she did relax a bit in her mother's embrace. She began to chew her lip and she seemed lost in thought for a moment. It didn't take a genius to see the big question building. Sure enough, a second later she turned back to her mother and asked, "If you can do magic here, do you think I can too?"

Erin chuckled lightly. "Honestly baby, I think you already have. When magical children get upset sometimes their magic emerges whether or not they want it to. When you were upset before you made the ground shake and the rocks float."

"Just like you!" she gasped. "Can I do it again?"

"I'm not sure," Erin told her seriously. "Until you are old enough to attend this school, you aren't supposed to try, and then you can only do it here and nowhere else until you turn seventeen."

"Oh," Cassie frowned, obviously crestfallen.

At that moment, Severus reappeared with Dumbledore at his side. They hurried to where Erin and Cassie sat and at the sight of them the little girl pressed herself back into her mother's body.

"Well," Dumbledore said pleasantly. "I'm told we have another visitor." He smiled patiently as Cassie peeked up at him from behind Erin's hair. "Hello child. My name is Albus Dumbledore, but you may call me 'Dumbledore'."

"He sounds funny," She whispered nervously to Erin.

"He's British, Cass." Erin informed her. "All of these men are. British people come from England which is across the ocean from where we live. This school is in Scotland which is just north of England."

Cassie nodded, though she seemed very confused about this revelation. Still, she returned Dumbledore's smile and said, "I'm Cassie Sharp. It's nice to meet you."

"What a courteous child," Dumbledore smiled merrily. "If you would permit me, I would like to speak with you further when there is time; however, right now I think we should get you back to Grimmauld Place."

"But, Andy…" Erin began only to be cut off by Severus.

"I promise you we will leave no stone unturned. If she is here, we _**will**_ find her. For now, though, we need to take you both back to where it's safe. I'm afraid Professor Umbrage is already suspicious that something odd is going on. She saw how hurriedly we left the castle and she may already be on her way here. You must go now."

Erin felt her heart lurch. She was torn between the need to protect the child in her arms, and the frantic desperation she had to find the missing one. If Andy was indeed here, then she was probably all alone and terrified. It was agony to imagine her that way, but if they were caught by Umbrage all of their lives could be in jeopardy. It took all of her resolve but she nodded once and got to her feet. She leveled Severus with a look that clearly implied that she held him to his word, and then with Cassie held tightly in her arms she allowed Remus to lead her back to the school gates. Erin barely had time to warn Cassie about what they were about to do when Remus grabbed her arm and they disapparated.

A moment later they stood gasping on the front walk of Grimmauld place. Cassie was clearly shaken at the abrupt and uncomfortable method of travel, but she recovered quickly when the house began to take shape before her eyes.

"This is the 'grim old place' that man was talking about?" she asked innocently.

Both Remus and Erin chuckled at the misunderstanding. "It is called 'Grimmauld Place', but yes, it is fairly gloomy. At least it was when we first arrived. Don't worry, sweetheart, you'll like it."

Erin led her into the house and watched with a hesitant smile as Cassie took in the dank grandeur of the hall. Before they had time to move further into the house, Sirius rounded the corner from the dining room.

"I thought I heard someone come in," he said uncertainly. "I thought you had a potions lesson this morning? Is something wrong?" His eyes fell then to the small child partially hidden behind Erin. "Oh! Who is this? Did someone from the Order need us to babysit?"

"Actually, Sirius, this is my eldest daughter, Cassie." Erin watched the wave of confusion wash over the raven-haired man. To say he was confounded was an understatement as he looked quickly between mother and child.

"What? I don't understand," he said with a perplexed shake of his head. "H-how did she get here?"

"Very much the way I did," Erin shrugged. "She went to bed at home and woke up at Hogwarts; only she appeared on the grounds instead of inside the castle which is a blessing since Umbrage is there now."

As Sirius continued to stare at the child in bewilderment Remus cleared his throat. "Why don't we go down to the kitchen? Cassie, if you are hungry I can fix you some breakfast."

"Go on, honey," Erin encouraged motioning the child to follow. "I'll be right behind you. Sirius, may I have a moment?"

Cassie hesitantly took Remus' hand and allowed him to coax her away. Once they were gone Erin stared at Sirius expectantly. "Well?" she said flatly. "Would you like to tell me why you were giving me the cold shoulder this morning?"

He made a pained face and attempted to look anywhere but in her direction.

"Are you upset with me because of what happened last night?" she asked softly. "You must know I never intended to hurt you. If I had been in my right mind I never would have just gone off and left you. Of course, if any of us had been in our right minds none of that would have happened at all."

He sighed deeply. "I don't blame you for what happened. Actually, I am angry with myself. I dared you to…do what you did. I am ashamed of my behavior, and I understand if you can't forgive me. I am so sorry, Erin."

"I don't blame you or Remus," she said, taking his hand in hers. "As I told him when he was wallowing in misery this morning; if I was going to blame anyone it would be me. I knew what would probably happen, and if I hadn't wanted it, I would have stopped it. Frankly, I am relieved. It hurt to think you were mad at me for what happened and honestly, I worried you might be jealous."

She felt him go rigid and he slowly slid his hand from hers. He seemed to take a moment to gather himself before he crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her in disbelief. "Jealous?" he scoffed indignantly. "Why would I be jealous?"

Erin opened her mouth to point out that his current behavior rather proved her point when a piercing scream rent the air. At once both she and Sirius turned and sprinted toward the kitchen. Once through the door they spotted Cassie being awkwardly comforted by a very anxious Remus.

"What happened?" they asked as one.

Remus jerked his head toward the other side of the long room where Kreature stood as if rooted to the spot. The decrepit elf seemed both appalled and uncertain as his large eyes darted between the squalling child and the doorway which was currently blocked by Sirius and Erin, thus barring a hasty retreat.

"What did you do, you horrible little…" Sirius snarled at the elf but Remus cut over him.

"He didn't do anything," The sandy haired man denied. "He had just come out of his hidey-hole when Cassie spotted him and started screaming." He was holding her gingerly in his arms as she sobbed and trembled into his chest.

Erin took the little girl into her arms and soothed her until her sobs dissolved into loud hiccups.

"What is that thing?" Cassie asked as she stole a covert glance toward the elf who still seemed glued to the spot.

"This is Kreature," Erin explained. She motioned the elf toward her and to his credit he did take several tottering steps in their direction before coming to an abrupt halt in the middle of the room. "Kreature is a very special being known as a house elf. You don't need to be afraid of him. He cannot and will not ever hurt you. Kreature is very important around here. It's his job to maintain the house and see to the needs of the people who live here. Isn't that right, Kreature?"

Sirius scoffed at that and Keature grumbled under his breath as he shot his master a dirty look. However, when his gaze once again fell upon the yet frightened child his eyes softened just slightly and he gave one stiff nod. "Of course," he said in his deep throaty voice.

Cassie gasped and turned her full gaze upon the little creature. "You can talk?" she guffawed.

"Of course I can!" he replied indignantly, but when she shrank back at his tone he amended his statement with a, "my dear child," and he bowed low at the waist.

Cassie watched him curiously for a long moment before eventually wiggling out of her mother's embrace to hesitantly walk toward the elf. When she was about a foot away she stopped and gave him a feeble smile. "My name is Cassie," she said softly. "I'm sorry I screamed; it's just that I've never met a real-life elf before."

Kreature, who was unused to being treated civilly, stared at the child suspiciously for a moment before bowing once again. "Kreature is at your service," he said only. His eyes suddenly darted to the other occupants of the room as if he had momentarily forgotten they were there. His face flushed over red and he quickly made his way to the door before sidestepping Sirius as he made a speedy exit.

"Huh," Sirius murmured, shaking his head slightly at the scene he had just observed. "I never imagined he could be so agreeable. I only hope it lasts."

They heard the front door open then and a moment later Severus and Albus entered the room.

"Well?" Erin asked anxiously.

"We thoroughly searched both the grounds and the castle," Severus told her. "There is no sign of your other daughter."

"How can we be sure that she just didn't appear somewhere else?" Erin fretted, feeling the painful ache in her heart begin to blossom again.

"There is a way to be sure," Albus told her. "However, I would require a few drops of blood from both you and Cassie."

Erin surrendered her finger to the needle instantly, but it took a moment to convince the child to unclench her hand. Once he had the blood collected, Albus pulled a small rune encrusted brass bowl and a small vial from his pocket. He poured the contents of the vial into the bowl and then added first Erin's blood and then Cassie's. With a quick wave of his wand and an incantation Erin wasn't familiar with they watched as the contents of the bowl turned a deep red color and a large gold dot formed in the center.

"Ah," he sighed, seemingly relieved. "I can safely say that there is currently no one outside of this room who shares blood with either of you. Your other daughter is not here, Erin."

"Are you sure?" she asked uneasily.

"I am positive," he smiled soothingly. "Now that we are all reassured, we do have yet another mystery before us. What has caused you, and now your eldest daughter to travel to our world? Personally, I have no answers to this question, nor have I ever encountered any similar instances in all of my research. Sadly, neither have I discovered a way to return you to your own time and place. I will, of course, continue to search for the answers, but for now all I can suggest is that we simply accept things as they are. Unless there are any objections, I would like both Erin and Cassie to continue to reside here. As the child is still very young perhaps I can arrange for a private tutor for her primary education. Then, if she is still here upon her eleventh birthday we can determine if she is eligible for entrance into Hogwarts."

"She possesses magic, Albus," Erin announced. "When she was upset earlier, she made the ground tremble."

"Indeed," he murmured thoughtfully. "What an extraordinary family." He seemed to study them intently for a moment before he came back to himself. "Well, unless there is anything else, I must return to my duties the school and Severus has a meeting he cannot ignore so we must take our leave. Erin, I will continue to look into this matter, and I will inform you immediately should I find anything relevant. Of course, if you happen to have any information that might aid me, I should encourage you to share it."

"Actually, Albus…" she said hesitantly. "May I have a word with you in private?"

"Of course," He nodded and motioned her into the hall and across to the library. "What is it?"

Erin sighed and a small frown pinched her features. "It's probably nothing," she began, "but just like with me, there is a notable change to Cassie's appearance."

"Oh?" Dumbledore asked, intrigued.

"It's not a big change, but her hair is several shades lighter than I remember."

"Is it?" he said, sounding perplexed.

She nodded firmly. "Yes, it used to be a light oak color, but now it looks nearly blonde. Almost like a sandy brown…" Her words trailed off as an impossible idea occurred to her.

Albus noticed her hesitation and he watched her eyes widen in wonder. "Is there something else you need to tell me?" he probed.

"It's not possible," she whispered in denial.

He waited patiently as she seemed to struggle with herself, but eventually she nodded firmly. "Okay look," she sighed deeply. "I'm going to level with you. Last night I did something I'm not proud of. Remus, Sirius, and I were drinking and one thing led to another and Remus and I…" she trailed off again before giving him a sheepish, yet loaded look.

"I see," he said after a moment. "Indeed, I do see. Remus' hair _is_ remarkably similar to hers."

"But it's not possible, is it?" she said quickly. "I mean, Jack is her father."

"Miss Sharp," he chuckled with a bemused shake of his head. "Right now I cannot put anything out of the realm of possibility. However, there is a simple test I can perform to end all doubt."

"What about the one you did just now?" she frowned. "Wouldn't that have told you if someone else in this world shared her blood?"

"No, that spell merely told me the location of anyone immediately related to either of you. Since both you and Remus were in the room I'm afraid that it could not connect him to your daughter. If you would like, I can collect a sample of Remus' hair and compare it with your daughter's. That will tell us conclusively if he is in any way related to her. Regardless, I must now ask you if you still feel secure living here. I do not fault you for your recent lapse in judgment; however I don't want you to feel as if I am forcing you to live here if you are no longer comfortable."

Erin smiled at his thoughtfulness. "No, no. We had a long talk this morning and worked everything out. It was a mistake, plain and simple, and one neither of us intend to duplicate." At least that's what she _thought_ was understood. Of course, she hadn't really had a chance to work it out with Sirius yet. But, if he had wanted something more with her why had he sent her off with Remus? She knew then that another awkward conversation with the handsome, incorrigible marauder was in order.

"If you're certain," he capitulated. "I will perform the test as soon as possible and let you know when I have the results."

As he turned to go she held out a hand to halt him. "Um, I would appreciate it if no one else knew about this, regardless of the outcome."

He seemed uneasy at her request, but eventually he relented. "As you wish," he nodded, and then he took his leave.

Erin felt a pang of guilt at her possible deception. If, by some crazy miracle Remus had somehow become Cassie's father, he deserved to know it, and yet there was no way she could complicate his life like that. At the same time she was filled with denials that such a thing was even possible. The only thing about Cassie that had changed was her hair. Granted, she had always taken after Erin in her features; but she was still Jack's daughter…wasn't she?

Erin sighed deeply and shook her head. Until Albus had preformed his test, there was nothing to do but wait. With another sigh she tried to put it out of her mind and focus solely on the joy she felt at being reunited with one of her beloved children.

...

Well? Love it? Hate it? Think I've fallen off the deep end? Let me know in the reviews! Why don't we take a poll? Should Remus be Cassie's father? I may not alter my plans for this story to fit your opinions, but I am curious as to what you think! Review and give me your thoughts!


	13. Theories

Wow, I did not mean for this chapter to take so long. Hopefully, now that summer is coming I will have a bit more free time to work on this story. I think I have a clear direction for it now, so with any luck it should move along smoothly. I also think that when I am done, I may re-write it to fix all of the damn mistakes. I am still annoyed that I misspelled Kreacher in the last chapter!

Anyway, as always, please read and review.

Chapter 13

Erin spent the rest of the day glued to her daughter's side. Cassie seemed to have a million questions and Erin was more than happy to answer them. They started with a tour of the house and whenever they encountered anything overtly magical, such as the hippogriff in Sirius' bedroom and the moving, talking portraits in the halls, Cassie seemed to practically burst with curiosity and wonder.

The only moment of concern came when they were a little too noisy in the hall and Mrs. Black began to screech and shriek at them. Sirius and Remus closed the curtains on her instantly, but it was enough to make Cassie cry and tremble with fear. However, once she was settled and the adults were able to explain about the cantankerous old bitty, Cassie didn't dwell on her fear. There was simply too much to see and learn!

It wasn't until the early evening, when hunger and exhaustion set in, did the child's seemingly endless curiosity wane. Erin offered to make dinner while the men happily talked and played games with Cassie. Currently they were showing her a game of wizard chess and every time one of the pieces defeated another Cassie would clap and burst out laughing. Her laughter was so infectious that the men had begun casually sacrificing their pieces just to encourage her bright peals of giggles. Cassie laughed even harder when the pieces on the board began angrily shaking their fists at the men for playing so poorly.

It was a scene that truly warmed her heart and Erin realized that her cheeks actually hurt from the smile she had been wearing for the past several hours. Never had she imagined that either of her children might one day appear into this world, and even though her family was still incomplete, she was infinitely grateful for the unexpected gift.

Cassie belly laughed again as Remus' Queen and one of Sirius' knights began brawling on the board. The little knight had grabbed the Queen's crown and was waving it just out of her reach from atop his horse. The Queen made a series of rude gestures before tripping the knight's horse with her scepter. The knight fell and landed on his back on the board and a moment later his horse came crashing down over him, leaving nothing visible of the knight but his arm with the crown still clutched tightly in his fist. The Queen snatched it out of his hand and slammed it back upon her head before giving the defeated knight one more rude hand gesture and resuming her place on the board.

"Sirius," Erin chuckled. "I've watched people play wizard chess before but I've never seen the pieces behave so badly."

Sirius grinned up at her cheekily. "This was my set from when I was fifteen. I thought the game was boring and needed a little spicing up. Don't worry, though. As long as neither King is ordered to take a Queen, Cassie won't see anything she shouldn't."

"Oh, jeez," Erin laughed as she rolled her eyes. "Well, anyway it's time to put it away. Dinner's ready."

The four of them chatted happily as they ate. Erin was pleased to see how quickly Cassie had begun to feel comfortable with the men, and it delighted her that they seemed just as interested in her. Eventually the child began to talk about her recent home life.

"We just moved back into the house two months ago," she told Erin. "Delilah has been changing everything. She wanted to change my room too, but I got mad told her not to. She got really angry with me and took all of my toys away. Daddy made her give them all back though. I knew she was mad at him too, because she usually gets whatever she wants from him." Her little face became very serious then. "She tried to throw all of your stuff away, mommy. She said that if you didn't care enough to take it all with you, then it could go in the trash. I took some stuff and hid it in my room, but she got rid of a lot of it. I'm sorry."

Her expression was devastated and there were small tears in her eyes as she dropped her head in shame. Erin wrapped her arms around the child and hugged her tightly. "It's just stuff, honey," she cooed. "It's not important."

"I really missed you," Cassie sniffed, as she wiped at the tears. "I tried calling you, but you never answered the phone. Even daddy got a little worried after a while. I heard him tell Delilah that he wanted to find you to check on you. He said he was afraid that you might have hurt yourself, but Delilah said that if you were dead it would be better for everyone. She said some really mean things about you. She's not a nice lady. She yells at us all of the time. We aren't allowed to touch anything or even sit on her nice furniture. A few months ago Andy spilled her juice on the table cloth and Delilah made her eat alone in the bathroom for a week!"

"Does daddy know about all this?" Erin asked, appalled.

Cassie nodded. "He said that Delilah isn't used to kids and to give her time, but she is getting worse, not better. She's not too bad when daddy is there, but whenever he leaves she gets real mean and locks us in our room. I tried to tell him, but he won't listen. He said we all have to find a way to live together. I don't want to live with her anymore. I think she probably hates kids."

Erin was livid. She recalled what a sour-faced bitch Jack's whore had been to her, but to treat her kids badly? That crossed the line. And if Jack was witnessing any of it, why hadn't he put a stop to it? Sure, he hadn't been the best father in the world, but she knew he loved his children dearly and would want to protect them. It seemed apparent to her that his lust for that skank was once again overriding his good sense. A blaze of violent fury shot through her and she wished that the two home wreckers were standing before her so she could show them exactly how unhappy she was. In the next instant she thought of Andy alone with that woman with no mother or sister to protect her and she actually trembled with anger and panic.

As if reading her mind, Cassie asked. "Can we go get Andy? I know she'd like it here a lot better, and she really misses you. When she blew out the candles on her birthday cake daddy asked her what she had wished for. She told him all she wanted was you. Delilah got real mad at her and tried to throw the cake away, but daddy stopped her. He said it was okay for us to miss you, but because we have a new mom now we shouldn't be so upset. Delilah said you don't love us because if you did you would have called us or wrote us letters. She said you're a bad mom."

All three adults in the room gasped and Erin had to struggle to stifle the sobs welling up in her chest. Already there were tears streaming down her face. She wanted to reassure her daughter that she loved her more than anything and that she'd thought about her every single day; however the words were trapped by the lump in her throat.

Sirius stood and pulled Erin into his arms before turning gentle, but imploring eyes upon Cassie. "If I know anything," he told her firmly, "it's that your mother loves you more than you could possibly know and if she had been able, she would have been there with you. All she's done since she got here is to try and figure out a way to get home to you. Believe me; I know all about bad mothers and your mum isn't one of them. As far as your sister goes, I promise that we will do everything we can to reunite you with her. I don't know when it will happen, but we won't ever stop trying. Do you understand?"

Cassie nodded and reached out to hold Erin to her. "I know you love us, mom," she whispered. "It's just been so bad without you and we've been so scared and lonely. I really missed you!"

"Me too, darling," Erin gushed, hugging her tightly.

After everyone was once again calm and settled they finished dinner and then Erin took Cassie up to her room. She set up one of the cots beside her bed and then cleaned the little girl's pajamas with a flick of her wand. For well over two hours the mother and child talked and cuddled, until eventually Cassie's eyelids drifted shut. When she was positive the little girl was fast asleep, Erin crept quietly out of the room and down to the library.

The men were in their usual places, with Remus on the couch and Sirius in his chair before the fire when she walked in. Remus looked up and gave her a soft smile.

"We wondered if you were going to come down tonight," he said as he made room for her beside him. "Did she fall asleep alright?"

Erin nodded as she took her place. "Not at first, but she eventually went out. It's been a big day for her. I'm actually shocked that she fell asleep at all. Usually when she has an exciting day, she's up half the night from the surplus of energy. She's like me in that regard. Andy's different. When she's had a big day, she passes right out at the end of it without a problem. I've always envied her for that."

Sirius, who seemed to be brooding more deeply than usual, looked over at them. "We have to figure out how she got here," he said firmly. "Cassie is a wonderful child and it's obvious she's had a hard time without you. I can't stand the idea that your other daughter is stuck there with those awful people. We have to find a way to bring her here too."

"I agree," Remus sighed. "However, Erin has been here for months and we still don't know what triggered her arrival. I suppose it's possible that the two events might have different causes, but since we have no idea what triggered the first transfer, I can't imagine that it will be an easy task to discover the cause of the second one."

"We can't just give up!" Sirius snapped.

"I don't intend to," Remus frowned. "I am just pointing out that for the past several months everyone, Dumbledore included, has been stymied by this very problem. Then, out of the blue, it suddenly happens again. It's possible there isn't any single trigger. Most likely there is some kind of magic at work here that we are as yet unaware of. All I'm saying is that though we will do all we can, it seems unlikely that the answer will simply fall into our laps."

Sirius seemed dismayed by the truth in Remus' words and he fell into thought once more. After a long moment he looked up again. "Erin, why do you think you came to this reality?"

Erin shrugged lightly and sighed. "I was so miserable the day it happened. Honestly, I had been miserable for a while, but that day it all came to a head. I was all alone. My children were gone. I was about to lose my home. I had no money or family or friends to help me. My future looked more than bleak. My emotions had been completely drained away and I felt nothing, like I was totally empty. The only thing that helped at all was to try and lose myself in my favorite books. I guess I did exactly that."

"Are you certain that magic doesn't exist in your world?" Remus asked slowly. "As I'm sure you know, when their emotions run too high, sometimes a witch or wizard loses control of their magic. It happens most often to children because they don't yet know how to control it. But maybe, _just maybe_, you did possess some kind of magic and it erupted out of you without you being aware of what was happening."

Erin made a disbelieving face. "If magic exists in my world then it is kept as big a secret as it is here. I mean, there are those who claim to be able to do some amazing things, but they are generally illusionists who use smoke and mirrors to put on a show. I suppose that there are people who claim that they can do some extraordinary stuff, but I was never one of them. Believe me; I would have been thrilled to have possessed magic. It is a really useful ability!"

"What about your parents?" Sirius asked. "Could they have possessed magic?"

Erin scoffed. "My parents died when I was a child, so you'd think that if either one of them was magical they would have prevented the accident that killed them. So, no, as far as I am aware, no one in my family had any unusual abilities."

"Maybe they had latent abilities that they were unaware of," Sirius suggested. "It's possible they did and they could have passed it on to you. That would make this whole situation a lot easier to explain."

"I think you are really grasping at straws now," Erin chuckled. "As far as I know magic doesn't exist in that world. However, you're right. If it did, and it somehow runs in my family, it certainly would explain all of this. I was desperate to escape my misery and somehow I did. Cassie was desperate to see me, and somehow she did. By that logic, all we have to do is wait for Andy to wish herself away and eventually she'll show up here too." She paused for a moment. "God, I wish it were true. I can only imagine how sad and lonely she is now. I just want her here in my arms."

She felt the tears welling up again and Remus reached over to pull her into the warmth of his body. He held her as she cried and as her sobs dissolved into hiccups Sirius walked to her and handed her a small glass of firewhiskey.

A faint, sad smile played at her lips as she took the glass from him. "After last night, drinking this doesn't seem like the brightest idea."

He gave her a crooked grin. "Just take small sips this time. I'm not trying to get you drunk, only to soften you up a bit."

Erin gave a weak chuckle and took a tentative sip of the harsh liquid. As before, it burned its way down her throat and settled warmly in her stomach. It took only a few sips for the soft fuzziness of the alcohol to sooth her troubled mind.

"I don't want to make a habit of this," Erin sighed as the blessed calm washed over her. "It's too easy to become dependent on things like this to get through the day and I don't want to tempt alcoholism. I had a hard enough time resisting the calming draughts and sleeping potions Severus gave me. Before I moved here I was taking them every day and it was becoming problematic. All I ever did was study and sleep. That was no way to live."

"I suppose you're right," Sirius said, as he resumed his seat. "But there are times when a drink is called for and this is one of them. It's been a long, crazy day and you deserve a bit of relief."

That was an understatement, Erin thought as she took another sip. It had certainly been one of the most confusing days she had ever experienced. She was certain that she had experienced the full range of human emotions in less than 24 hours; from a morning filled with frustration, worry, anger and guilt, to an afternoon of surprise and joy, to an evening of both happiness and sorrow, she was now absolutely spent. Along with the calm the alcohol brought, there was now a bone deep exhaustion and her eyes began to close of their own accord.

Erin didn't bother to fight sleep as she leaned her head back against Remus' shoulder. She was too comfortable and too tired to try. Sometime later she felt strong, warm arms lift her as if she were a child. She tried to tell the person who held her just to let her sleep on the couch, but all she could manage was a wordless mumble. She felt them climb the steps and then a moment later she was tucked into her own comfortable bed where she sighed and curled into a ball; falling asleep again almost instantly.

Sirius gently brushed the hair from her face as he leaned down to place a soft kiss on her lips. He lingered for a moment feeling the sweet texture of her mouth, and tasting her own special flavor. More than anything he wanted to climb in next to her, but he knew it wouldn't be right. Eventually he straightened and stared down at her peaceful face for a moment before his eyes drifted to the child who slept nearby. She had kicked her covers off so he gently tucked her back in before placing a light kiss on her forehead. Before now, the only child he had ever cared about had been Harry but seeing the joy this little girl had created in his home in only one day had quickly made her precious to him. He vowed then that he would do everything in his power to make her and her mother happy. He only hoped that their happiness and his were one and the same.

…..

When Erin awoke the next morning it was to find Cassie snuggled up next to her in the small bed. Amazingly enough the small child had managed to sprawl out taking up most of the mattress and leaving Erin teetering on the edge. It was nothing new. Back home she frequently awoke to find her bed overtaken by children. Most of the time she'd also be shivering as they somehow managed to steal all the covers along with the majority of the space.

As quietly as possible she stood up and made her way to the bathroom to shower and dress. Cassie was still asleep when she emerged so she tip-toed out of the room and made her way down to the kitchen to begin breakfast. To her surprise, the men were still asleep, but the kitchen was not deserted.

"Oh, hello Professor," Erin said as Dumbledore stood to face her. "What are you doing here so early?"

Without preamble he said, "I have come to tell you the results of the paternity test I ran on Mr. Lupin."

Erin started in surprise. "That was quick. I expected it to take longer. Okay then, I assume you're going to tell me that I was just imagining things. It was a silly thing to even consider."

"I'm afraid not," he said, as he motioned for her to take a seat. "I have to admit that I am now more perplexed than ever, but somehow, as she travelled from your world to ours, your daughter's genetics did change. She is, without a doubt, Remus' child."

Erin could only stare at him. For a full minute she struggled to take in his words. Her mind was absolutely swimming with this amazing revelation. "But…_how_?" She gasped. "This makes no sense!"

He could only shake his head. "I agree. It is extraordinary, and once again I am left with more questions than answers. The only thing I can think of is that since your husband…"

"Ex-husband," Erin corrected bitterly.

"My apologies," he smiled. "Since your ex-husband does not exist in this reality your child somehow took on the genetics of the only man you've been intimate with since you have been here. That is, I assume he was the only one…?"

"He was," She frowned, feeling rather miffed at his insinuation. Of course, given her recent behavior, she understood the implication. Not that understanding it made her feel any better.

He smiled again, vaguely. "In any case, it is the only conclusion I can think of. Not that that theory is without flaws, after all, as far as we know your parents did not ever exist here, and yet, here you are. As I said, I am left with more questions than answers." He paused more a moment. "Do you still wish for Remus to remain unaware?"

Erin sighed deeply. This was a damnable situation, and one she never expected to have to deal with. "How could I even begin to explain this to him?" She asked more to herself. "How could I tell a man I've known less than a year that he is the father of my nearly eight-year-old daughter? It's insanity. Not only that but it is a responsibility he never asked for and doesn't deserve. This might really mess up his life. If his future is supposed to play out as it did in the books, then he will have a wife and child of his own within the next few years. This news could very well throw a wrench in that outcome. So, no, I just can't put this responsibility on his shoulders now."

"Remus is a reasonable and responsible man, Erin." The headmaster argued lightly. "His reaction might surprise you. Incidentally, whom does he marry in the books. I am assuming that information will not adversely affect our future?"

Erin chucked at the curiosity brimming in his twinkling eyes. "He marries Nymphadora Tonks, and they have a son together in the last book."

"Ah," he smiled happily. "I thought that might be the case. She does seem quite taken by him, though he doesn't yet seem to notice. You see, he appears quite taken with you. If his recent actions are any indicator, I'd say he is more than taken with you. In all fairness, Erin, perhaps you should let him know now if you do not feel the same way. It would be unfair for him to miss his opportunity with Miss Tonks because he has his heart set on you. It really wouldn't be fair to her either." He laughed then. "Gracious! I seem to have become something of a meddling old match-maker, haven't I? In any case, I promise to continue puzzling over these issues. If you come to any conclusions as to why you and your daughter are here, please send word to me."

"Actually," Erin said, as he made to stand. "We were discussing it last night, and Remus suggested something impossible. He said that since both Cassie and I had a deep desire to get away from our former situations, that perhaps some latent magic that existed inside of us was activated and that is why we came here. I came to get away and she came to find me. Of course, that's ridiculous as magic isn't real in that world. But since it's the only thing anyone has thought of, I figured I should tell you."

He seemed contemplative for a moment as he considered her words. "If you were born into this world as a muggle, and you had no magical relatives or knowledge of the true existence of magic then you would believe it was a myth even here. Hmm, you've given me much to think about. In any case, please consider my advice to you regarding Remus. I will see you later, Erin."

As he left, she heard Sirius call out a greeting to him and a moment later the handsome raven-haired man bounced into the room with a giggling Cassie on his back.

"Good morning Erin," he smiled crookedly. "I found this little monkey wandering the halls looking for you so I decided to give her a lift." He plucked Cassie off of his back and placed her in Erin's waiting arms for a hug. "What was Albus doing here so early?" he asked, when the mother and child finally released each other.

"Oh, he just wanted to see how we were getting along," she lied easily. "Are you hungry? I'm about to start breakfast."

Sirius nodded eagerly and sat down to entertain Cassie as Erin cooked. Remus arrived just as she was filling the plates and he smiled warmly as she handed him his food. That sweet, trusting smile sent a sharp pang of guilt rolling through her stomach and suddenly her delicious looking breakfast didn't seem so appetizing anymore.

Erin fiddled with her food as the men chatted with and teased Cassie who seemed absolutely delighted with her two new companions. As she watched Remus interact with her the guilt she felt only got worse. This really was a damnable situation. Looking at him, Erin knew that Remus would be a good father for her daughter. He was kind, loving, and generally loyal. However, he was also not meant to be the father of an eight-year-old girl. His path, according to the books, was set. Remus was supposed to be with Tonks and together they were supposed to have their son, Teddy. That was the future as it was written for him. It was what was meant to be. If she told him of Cassie's true paternity that future might never happen.

Of course, she also considered the end result of that future. Teddy would be an orphan within mere weeks of his birth. Almost instantly she cast that thought aside. Even if he knew that he was Cassie's father, he would likely still fight in the final battle and be killed. It was a sad thought that she did not want to linger on. If she could she would change that future just as she wanted to change the future for Sirius. The guilt in her belly quickly morphed into fear and grief at the senseless loss the future held. Something had to be done to prevent their deaths, regardless of what Dumbledore wanted. They didn't deserve to die and her daughter didn't deserve to feel the pain of losing them.

"Erin?" Remus called softly.

She looked up at him and saw concern shining in his eyes as he studied her.

"Are you feeling well?"

Erin slapped on a false, but convincing smile. "Of course," she said easily. "I was just thinking of all of the things Cassie needs. I think acquiring her some clothes should be my first priority. She can't go around wearing her pajamas forever."

Both men frowned and looked down at the child who only sported a very light set of princess pajamas. There weren't even any socks or shoes on her small feet.

"Oh, dear," Remus chuckled. "I hadn't thought of it, but you are quite right. Well, I suppose a shopping trip is in order."

"She can't go shopping without shoes on her feet." Sirius frowned. "It's also too cold for her to go out without at least a thick jacket. Hang on." He got up and sprinted from the room. A moment later he returned with some very old musty smelling boys clothes. He waved his wand over them, instantly cleaning off years of dust and mold, but it didn't do much for the aged, dreary appearance of the items.

"These were mine when I was about her age," he said. "They are probably too big for her, but they will have to do until we can get to the shops."

"We?" Remus asked sharply.

Sirius' face darkened in acute annoyance. "Yes, 'we'," he repeated firmly. "There is no way I am going to sit alone in this damned house as you three go off to have fun."

"Fun?" Erin exclaimed as she laughed sarcastically. "You've obviously never shopped with a child before!"

Sirius had the sense to look sheepish. "Well, even so, I am going with you."

"How can you, Sirius," Remus frowned. "You will certainly be recognized and then all four of us will be up to our ears in Aurors. You'll get hauled off to Azkaban and Erin, Cassie and I will be scrutinized by the ministry. We can't afford for any of that to happen."

"Ah," Sirius smiled. "It just so happens that I have a plan." He leaned over to Cassie and studied her pajamas keenly. After a moment he smiled as he plucked a single strand of hair from her clothes. Then he stood up and walked to the far end of the room and began digging through the cupboards. When he returned there was a small flask in his hands.

"Good grief!" Remus snapped. "Where did you get that?"

Confused, Erin asked, "What is it?"

"Polyjuice potion," Sirius grinned. "I've been stealing ingredients from Snivellus whenever he comes for your lessons. It took a while to get enough as I only took small amount at a time. I didn't want the greasy bat to become suspicious. Anyhow, I just finished brewing it up a week ago. I am sick and tired of being stuck here and this seemed like the perfect solution."

"This is insane," Remus frowned. "That hair could belong to anyone. It could be one of mine. Don't you think it would be a little obvious if there were two of me running around Diagon alley?"

Sirius shrugged as he opened the flask and dropped the hair in, making the potion fizz and smoke. "We'll find out," he grinned as he tipped the contents of the flask into his mouth.

For a second nothing happened, and then Cassie shirked as Sirius' face and body began to change. From one moment to the next he transformed from the roguish, handsome marauder into a slightly taller, yet still decently good-looking, brown haired man.

"Sweet Jesus!" Erin exclaimed, as she stared at the perfect double of her ex-husband.

"Sirius?" Cassie said in wonder. "You look just like my daddy!"

Sirius grinned wider as he strode over to a large mirror that hung on the wall behind the table. "Phew!" he sighed, happily. "I was a worried that I would end up as a four-foot-tall, knock-kneed little girl!"

"Hey!" Cassie snapped defensively, realizing his insult. "I am not knock-kneed! I'm perfect, aren't I mama?"

"Of course you are," Sirius laughed as he strode over to swing the child into his arms. "I was only teasing. Forgive me?"

Cassie giggled as she nodded, and then she kissed his cheek. Sirius looked both surprised and pleased at her unexpected show of affection and he repaid her kindness by tickling her until she threatened to pee on him. When he finally set her back down she simply stared at him. Finally she said, "You look like my dad but only better because he never plays with me like that. But…you're not going to look like him forever are you?"

"No," Sirius told her. "It will wear off in a few hours and then I'll just be me again."

"Good," Cassie nodded, relieved. "I like your normal face. You are much prettier than my dad is."

Both Erin and Remus chuckled at the nonplussed look on Sirius' face. They laughed all the harder when a small blush crept over his cheeks.

Finally Remus cleared his throat. "If I can't dissuade you, then we should be going before that potion begins to wear off. I still think this is a really bad idea, though."

Sirius brushed his friend's concerns aside and leaned down to Cassie once more. "Can you do something for me?" He asked gently. At her nod he continued, "While we are out, you can't call me by my real name. Do you think you could call me by another name instead? Maybe John or Mike…?"

"Why don't I just call you 'daddy' since you look like him?"

Sirius hesitated and then smiled. "Sure, you can call me that."

Yeah, only you don't look a thing like her real father, Erin thought as her eyes fell on Remus who still wore a look of concern and disapproval on his face.

"Fine," Remus sighed. "Let's go. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we'll all be out of harm's way."

…

The shopping trip to Diagon Alley lasted a bit longer than expected only because it seemed that every time they took a step the child found something new to fascinate her. Everything, from the Owl Emporium with its live owls in the window to the Quidditch supply store sent the child into a frenzy of excited questions. The clothes shopping itself was done with little hassle and at the end of an hour Cassie had acquired a new fall wardrobe along with a coat, shoes and boots. Finally, in an attempt to distract her from her seemingly endless wonder, Erin suggested they stop at Florean's for some ice cream.

Just as they were finishing up their cold treats, Sirius suddenly stood and asked them to wait a moment, then he quickly disappeared down the street.

"Where is he going now?" Remus asked impatiently.

Erin shrugged, but contented herself with watching the other shoppers as they moved about the shops. Being the off season, and still quite early in the day, Diagon Alley was not terribly busy and only a few dozen people were out and about.

After a moment Cassie became restless. "Can I look at the owls again?" She asked pleadingly.

Erin nodded and watched as Cassie flittered down the road to peer into the huge, rather ancient windows. After a moment she realized that Remus seemed to be closely scrutinizing her.

"What's up?" she asked him, as she reached up to wipe her mouth for fear that there were some remnants of chocolate on her face.

He hesitated for several seconds and then cleared his throat. "I can't be sure…" he mumbled vaguely. "Well, I don't mean to sound rude or offensive, but I believe you look a bit older today than you did before. I can't tell if it's a trick of the light, or just my imagination, but you do appear a bit older."

"What?" Erin said, confused. She turned and peered at her refection in the shiny window of the ice cream parlor. With a start she realized he was right. It wasn't much of a difference, but now a young woman's face stared back at her replacing the teenaged face that she'd sported only yesterday.

"Holy shit!" She exclaimed, clearly dumbstruck. "How did I not notice this earlier?"

"It's not too terribly obvious," Remus pointed out. "You don't look any older than twenty-four or five. You still look quite young. Just, not quite as young as before. Honestly, you are even lovelier now than you were yesterday. That's what caught my attention initially."

Erin blushed at his complement and nodded. "Thank you, and you're right, I look about as old as I was when Cassie was born. There are some differences though. Her birth left me a bit thicker in my face and body and that doesn't seem to be the case now. Still, I do look as if I am in my mid-twenties instead of a teenager. How very odd."

"We'll have to tell Albus about this," he said. "It might be useful information for him. Then again, it might just be another mysterious puzzle piece."

She nodded and looked up when she heard Sirius call to Cassie. He was walking down the street with a long, narrow package in his hands. Cassie happily skipped toward him and squealed when he handed her the paper wrapped item. Erin had a sudden suspicion of just what he had bought for her daughter, and she felt equal parts excited and worried. Sure enough, as Cassie tore through the paper, she pulled out a child-sized broom.

"Is this a flying broom?" Erin heard Cassie ask as she made her way over to them.

"It sure is," Sirius grinned. At the concerned look that Erin gave the toy he added, "It's not a true flying broom as it only floats about two feet off the ground and it doesn't go very fast, but since she's here I thought she should have at least one magical item for her very own."

Cassie wasted no time in trying her new toy out. Within a minute she was happily zooming around them in a wide circle. Her laughter was infectious and everyone was smiling as they watched the giddy little girl play.

"Watch this, mommy!" Cassie yelled as she spun the broom in a much tighter circle. When she stopped she swayed for a moment with dizziness then she hopped off to run into her arms and give her a tight, joyful hug. "This is great!" She shouted. The she turned to Sirius, "Thank you, daddy!"

Erin laughed again as held her daughter to her, but her happiness was short lived when she heard an eerily familiar voice shriek, "What the bloody hell!"

Looking up she felt her blood run cold as saw Brittany standing in front of a near-by shop.

She was staring hard at them and Erin realized instantly what the other girl was seeing. Erin looked a bit older, and Cassie had called her 'mommy'. She saw the confusion flit from Brittany's face to darken into barely-concealed suspicion and rage.

Erin took a step toward her, hoping to explain…something, anything…. but Brittany was already sprinting away.

"Well, that's not good," Erin said blankly.

Sirius and Remus stared after the girl. "We'd better get home." Sirius said, finally. "We need to send for Albus. Besides, the potion is about to wear off." When no one moved, he took Erin's hand. "Come on, there's nothing we can do about her now."

Once home they sent a message to Albus explaining all that had happened. He arrived within the hour to discuss what might be done about Brittany. Unfortunately, there wasn't much _to_ do. If Brittany decided to go to the ministry with her theory all they could do was pray they didn't believe her, or else they could try to discredit her. It wouldn't be easy because of the ministry's current anti-Dumbledore stance. In the end it was decided that the only thing to do was wait and see what happened.

That night, after Cassie had finally fallen asleep, Erin sat awake and lost in thought. It wasn't worries of Brittany that filled her mind; that problem could be solved later, she hoped. Instead, she was considering something that had only occurred to her a short time before.

If Remus was correct, and both she and Cassie had come here through a mixture of magic and a desire to be away, then with any luck Andy would appear at any time, however, there seemed to be a flaw in his suggestion.

When Cassie came over she had taken on the genetics of the only man Erin had been intimate with since arriving here. Indeed, it was mere hours between that sexual act, and Cassie's arrival. So maybe, just _maybe _she had needed that event to take place before she could travel to this reality. Maybe it was necessary for her to have a biological connection with someone other than her mother to be able to transverse realities.

If that were true, then she could only be impossibly grateful to Remus for his previous lack of inhibition. It also meant that there might be a way to bring Andy over as well. The only problem was Erin's own conscience. How could she use him again? She knew that she needed to try and push him toward Tonks, and away from herself. No, it would be a terrible idea to sleep with Remus again. But, there was another, seemingly willing man nearby.

She knew that if she explained her theory to Sirius that he would likely be more than willing to help. Hell, she mused, he might be willing without needing an explanation. But could she do that to him? Could she use him to achieve her own selfish ends? And if she did, what would it do to their friendship? What would it do to the timeline? Also, if he required an explanation, she would have to reveal Cassie's true paternity and the likelihood that Andy would be his biological daughter when she arrived. How could she do that to him? Especially now, then the future seemed so bleak?

Erin thought about all of the possible outcomes, but the only one that made her smile was when she envisioned standing at Sirius' side as he embraced her and the children as his family. It was an unlikely fantasy, she knew, but it still made her happy. After all, she thought, a girl can dream.


	14. The not so painful truth

It's a new chapter! Took long enough, right?

Well, I think I have the rest of this thing planned out...now all I need is to find the time to jot it down.

Anyway, I don't want this story to drag on, but this chapter demanded to be written, so I hope you like it!

Chapter 14

...

Having Cassie with her in this magical world made Erin happier than she had been in a very long time. However, having the youngster here also meant that new decisions had to be made. For although Cassie loved watching Erin's tutoring, her own education was sorely lacking. At the time of her passage into this reality Cassie had just begun second grade and every day that she remained here meant another day of education she missed out on.

The adults talked about it at the next Order meeting and it was eventually decided that Molly would take on Cassie's primary education. She had home-schooled her own children and was more than capable of teaching the little girl the basics. It helped too that Cassie seemed genuinely fond of the older woman (most likely, Erin suspected, because Molly always brought toys and treats for her).

Erin chuckled whenever she recalled the first time the Order had been introduced to Cassie. It seemed that until that night Molly Weasley had doubted that Erin was telling the truth about being a mother, but with the evidence standing before her, her entire demeanor had changed. She no longer seemed as concerned about Erin living with two men. Now she was concerned about what a bad influence Sirius would be on the impressionable child. Erin could only throw her hands up in exasperation at the red-haired woman and her stern, extremely vocal and unfounded opinions.

Indeed, Molly had gone so far as to plead with her to allow Cassie to live at the Burrow until Erin was finally finished with her tutoring and could find a more suitable home to raise her daughter in. Erin thanked her for the offer but insisted that she simply couldn't part with her child so soon after getting her back. Molly understood that and once again suggested that Erin come and live at the Burrow as well. When Erin politely declined, Molly turned her plea on Remus and Sirius, perhaps hoping that they would see the logic in not having a very young child in the house. Remus told her it wasn't his decision to make, after all, it wasn't his house. When she approached Sirius with her request however, he became almost livid that she would even suggest such a thing.

"Back off, Molly!" he snapped, "Erin already gave you her answer. As far as I am concerned, this is her home now and since Cassie is her child this is her home now too. So, why don't you just keep your mouth shut and leave us be?"

"This is a bachelor's house," Molly argued. "It's no place for a child or an impressionable young woman!"

Sirius seethed then. "How little you must think of me that you'd believe I would do anything to harm either of them! You know nothing about how I think or feel. You made up your mind about me the minute you met me and everything you do proves it. Well let me tell you something, lady! You know nothing about how I feel! I'm in lo…"

Erin came in to the kitchen at that moment to see what all the shouting was about and Sirius instantly let his words fall away. Molly however, continued to stare at him for quite some time. She seemed perplexed as she searched his face but then she noted the way he looked at Erin and she nodded slowly.

"I see," she said, and then she chuckled lightly. "I really do understand now and I promise not to press the issue again." She patted Sirius lightly on the arm and left the room.

"Wow," Erin said as she watched the other woman depart. "Did you just win an argument against Molly Weasley?"

Sirius seemed just as dumbfounded and then a slow grin turned up one side of his mouth. "Yeah, I guess I did."

Erin really laughed then. "Well, perhaps you ought to tell Arthur how you did it. I understand he's been trying for over twenty years to best that woman. Hell, he'd probably even pay you for that little nugget of information. By the way, what were you arguing about this time?"

He shrugged, "She was trying to convince me how better off we'd all be if you moved to the Burrow and got away from this terrible house of perversion."

Erin sighed in exasperation, but then she smiled. "Wait…and you actually _won_ that fight? I really am impressed."

After that day Molly never again brought up the subject of relocating Erin or Cassie, though at times it was obvious she wanted to. With Sirius in the house it was incredibly difficult to keep Cassie focused on her school work, especially since Sirius seemed to make it his daily objective to interrupt her lessons and make her burst out laughing.

Each day his methods became more and more ridiculous and creative. There was the time he enchanted a toy doll to dance into the room and perform pirouettes on the floor within only Cassie's view. Every time Molly turned to see what it was the child was laughing at, the doll would hop out of sight. Then there was the time he conjured a rain cloud that would clap with thunder and pour rain whenever Molly said certain words such as, 'sum, difference, or fraction'. Cassie's favorite though, was when he appeared as snuffles and played hide-and-seek with her from the doorway behind Molly's chair. After Molly dismissed her, Cassie would search the house from top to bottom in the hopes of finding the large, scruffy dog, but he only ever appeared during her lessons.

It wasn't until Halloween evening that the true identity of the dog became known to her. A few days before the holiday Molly had told them of an annual trick-or-treat celebration that she used to take her children to when they were young and she suggested that they bring Cassie.

"I always bake a few batches of my caldron cakes to give to the children," she smiled. "It isn't just for magical children either. Many of the muggle children from the nearby villages come and since everyone is in costume, they assume that the magic they witness is just smoke and mirrors."

"What about the statute of secrecy?" Erin asked.

Molly shrugged. "There are times where the Ministry allows small exceptions. Of course, they won't permit any aggressive displays of magic, but they tend to turn a blind eye at Halloween. I was thinking that to be safe, you could claim that Cassie is related to Remus, since she rather looks like him. Perhaps she could be his cousin or great niece should anyone ask."

Remus cocked his head to the side at that and turned to look at the little girl who was happily playing a game of exploding snap with Sirius. Erin nervously watched him scrutinize Cassie and she wondered what he was thinking.

"I'm not sure, Molly," she frowned, hoping to bring his attention back to the conversation. "We don't really have any costumes, and I can't take the chance that someone will recognize me again."

"Not to worry," the older woman assured. "I'm sure we can come up with something. I still have all of Ginny's old costumes and even some of Arthur's and mine from our younger days."

…

On Halloween day Molly arrived in the morning with her arms laden with clothing. She had brought several costume choices for Erin and Cassie and even one for Remus. When Sirius saw that she had brought nothing for him he gave her a sour look but held his tongue.

Eventually they all picked out what they would wear, and even managed to theme their costumes. Cassie was Little Red Riding Hood, Erin was the grandmother, and Remus was the huntsman (though he joked that he ought to be the wolf). After Molly had gone Sirius knelt down beside Cassie.

"You look wonderful," he told her. "If I were the Big Bad Wolf I'd want to eat you up too." He growled playfully and ticked the little girl until she screeched.

"It's too bad we don't have a wolf costume," she pouted. "You'd make a good wolf, Sirius."

"Would I?" he grinned.

Cassie nodded solemnly. "I wish you were coming with us. I also wish I could find that big dog that plays hide-and-seek with me sometimes. He'd be a great wolf too."

Sirius patted her lightly on the head. "What if I could grant both of those wishes?" he asked, still smiling.

Cassie shook her head sadly. "How?" she sighed. "Molly said you can't leave or you'll be seen and then you'll get in trouble and I've never been able to find that dog."

Sirius gave her a mischievous smirk. "If you promise not to get upset, I will show you something really cool."

"What is it?" she asked, uncertainly.

"You'll like it," he assured, "but it might startle you at first, and I don't want you to scream and hurt my ears. I promise it's nothing bad or scary, just a tad surprising."

After she made the promise Sirius stepped back and closed his eyes. Cassie gasped as he began to shrink and sprout hair and then she actually did shriek when she saw what he had become.

"Mom!" she yelled, "I think Sirius is a werewolf!"

Erin chuckled and knelt down beside her daughter. "No, sweetie, he's not a werewolf. He is an animagus. He's a wizard who has learned how to take the shape of an animal. There are many people in this world that can change into animals. In fact, one of my tutors can turn herself into a cat."

Sirius slowly trotted over to them and he whined pathetically as he stared at the little girl with his soulful puppy-dog eyes. Hesitantly Cassie reached out a hand to him and then she screamed and laughed as his long tongue darted out to lick it. He bounded up and began to prance around her so she could really take him in. Once she had gotten over her shock, Cassie happily chased him around the room, trying to catch his tail. When he finally allowed her to snag him she laughed for a moment before sobering suddenly.

"All this time you could turn into a dog and you never told me?" she demanded, raising an accusing finger at him. "You knew I was looking for that dog. I asked you where he was and you said he was a figment of my imagination. You _lied_ to me!"

Sirius whined pathetically and then licked he end of her finger before rolling over on to his back to whimper again.

"Don't be mad at him, sweetheart." Erin told her. "We didn't want to tell you because we were worried that you'd be afraid."

"I'm not afraid," the child denied. "I'm angry. I always wanted a dog and he could become one this whole time and he never told me. _Bad_ Sirius!"

He whimpered once more and then trotted off to take human form again. When he returned he sat down next to her and pouted. "Are you really angry with me?"

"Yes!" She said, stomping her foot.

"I'm sorry I lied, but I was worried that you wouldn't like me anymore if you knew. Can you forgive me?"

She looked at his pitiful face and sighed. "If you promise never to lie to me again…and if you sometimes pretend that you're my dog…then _maybe_ I'll forgive you."

"I promise" he smiled. "So, do you think I could still be your Big Bad Wolf?"

Her eyes lit up and she nodded enthusiastically. "You could come with us as a dog and no one will recognize you!"

That night ended up being a wonderful night for everyone. The event was more like a street fair than just a simple trick-or-treat excursion. They had games, music, and street performers and at the end of the evening prizes were awarded to the best costumes. Their small party won Best Group Theme and the judges even complemented them on how well behaved and obedient their "wolf" was. Thankfully, no one recognized Sirius except for Molly, who leveled him with a stern glare, but said nothing.

At the end of the night Cassie fell asleep elated, but thoroughly exhausted. After Erin had changed into her pajamas she went to the library to meet up with the men. Sirius was still pumped from the excitement of the outing, but Remus seemed almost sullen.

After a short time of listening to Sirius recall the funnier moments of the evening Remus announced that he was tired and was heading up to bed. After a moment of hesitation Erin excused herself and followed him out. She found him in his room where he seemed to be completely lost in thought.

"Remus?" she asked hesitantly. "Are you okay?"

He sighed deeply and turned to face her. "Yes, I'm all right…except…"

"Except what?" she prompted, though she dreaded hearing what he was trying so hard not to say.

He shook his head. "Well, Molly said something earlier that has been bothering me. It was an off-handed remark that should have meant nothing except that I keep coming back to it." He shook his head again. "And then I recall something you said when Cassie first arrived here and well…it has got me thinking. The only problem is that what I'm thinking is impossible. It simply _can't_ be true."

Erin felt her stomach clench and it took a moment to find her voice through the constriction in her throat. "What is it?"

He turned to face her and it felt as though his eyes were boring holes right into her soul. "The day we found Cassie on the school grounds you said that she looked different. Tell me, what was the difference you saw? How did she used to look?"

Erin sat down next to him on the bed and took a deep breath before she answered him. "Her hair," she said flatly, as she stared hard at the floor. She simply couldn't bring herself to look into his eyes as he realized the truth. "Her hair had changed color. It used to be much darker like Jack's, but now it is several shades lighter like..."

"Like mine," He finished for her.

She nodded firmly once.

"Why did Albus really need a sample of my hair?" He demanded. "He told me it was for a potion he was working on. A possible treatment for lycanthropy, he said. But that was a lie wasn't it? Why did he lie to me? What aren't you telling me?"

"I didn't know how to tell you," Erin said as she struggled to hold back her tears. "I couldn't imagine how it could be true, but then Albus ran his test and…it is."

"I'm Cassie's biological father, aren't I?"

She nodded again, but found that she could no longer contain her emotions and she burst into tears. It took several minutes for her sobs to diminish, but Remus didn't move. Whether he was angry or stunned, she couldn't say, but he stayed perfectly still.

"I don't understand how it happened," she said once she could speak again. "She was Jack's daughter, but somehow when she came here, her genetics changed. Albus thinks it's because Jack doesn't exist here. And since you are the only one I had been with, he believes that your DNA somehow passed through me and into her. We're not sure how any of this works, but please believe me when I say that I never imagined such a thing could be possible."

"Why didn't you tell me?" He said blankly. "Were you even planning to tell me?"

Her silence spoke volumes and he eventually nodded. "I see. So, you were going to just go along and ignore the fact that we have a child together?"

"What good would it have done to tell you?" She demanded. "Cassie believes Jack is her father and until she came here, he was. She thinks of you as her friend. What good would it do either of you to have told you the truth? It would likely have changed your relationship, and most likely not for the better. All it would have done would be to create tension and discord just like it is now. Remus, I think that you would be a wonderful father for Cassie, and if it had been you who truly fathered her and helped raise her, this would be a different situation. But in reality you just met her, and you've only known me for a few months. So, tell me, how could I just suddenly declare you to be her father?"

"I had a right to know," he said firmly, and she waited for him to snap and begin yelling, but after several deep breaths he got a hold of himself. "However, I understand your logic. You did what you thought was best, and if I were in your shoes, I'm not sure if I would have done anything differently. Still, now that I do know, we have to figure out how to move forward from here."

"I don't think there is any reason to change anything," Erin declared. "Things are fine the way they are. This is the way things should be, so let's just let them be."

Remus frowned and contemplated her for a moment. "If Cassie needed my genetics to come here, is it possible that Andy would need me as well?"

Erin sighed. "Albus theorizes that it was necessary for her to have two biological parents in this world, though that doesn't explain how I managed to make the transition myself. However, yes, it does seem that for Andy to come here a man's genetics would be required."

He stared at her for a long moment. "I assume when you say she would need 'a man's genetics' that you aren't referring to mine. Do you already have someone else in mind?"

"Not really," Erin frowned, feeling herself twinge at the lie. "But I have already decided that I can't use you like that again. You have done enough for me, even if it was inadvertently, and I can't ask any more of you."

"You can if I allow it," he said earnestly. "And I know you didn't use me before. Hell, if anything I used you. In any case I want to help."

"No," Erin said firmly.

"Why not?" He asked, as he took her hand in his. "I know how much you want her here, so why are you hesitating? Let me help you." He actually leaned toward her as if to kiss her, but she backed away.

Erin pulled her hand free and stood to face him. "Remus, I know that you would be willing to help me. I've known it for almost a month. But the reason I haven't asked you is because I'm worried about what will happen if there is another tie binding us together." She sighed deeply. "I care for you very much…as a friend…and I'm worried that you'll want something more and that isn't something that I am able to give you. Do you understand?"

He nodded grimly. "You're saying you don't want me and more involved in your life than I already am." His expression was dark and she felt him pulling away from her. "Is it because I'm a werewolf, or because I'm poor?"

She jerked as if he had slapped her. "How could you say that?" she demanded. "How could you think that of me? I love you for who you are, Remus, and you know those things don't matter to me."

"Then what is it?" he snapped.

She saw the hurt and anger on his face and felt her heart break a little. It would be so easy to let herself love him, but she knew it could never be.

"I'm not the one who is meant for you," she explained gently, as she bent to take his face in her hands. "Remus, listen to me. Your future has already been written and I am not supposed to be part of it."

"Cassie wasn't supposed to be part of it either, but it's too late for that now," he argued. "What if it's you I want? We've already made a mess of things, so who cares if we keep going?"

"Because the destiny that awaits you is what you need," she insisted. "You will have love and a family and purpose in your life. My future is so very uncertain. Who knows how long I'll be here? I could disappear just as suddenly as I arrived and if you have attached yourself to me, what will happen to you when I'm gone?"

"That's a chance I'm willing to take."

"Well, I'm not." She shook her head vehemently. "Not when I know there is something better just waiting for you to embrace it. Already I am standing in the way of your true destiny. Things that should be happening right now aren't all because I am here and I can't tell you how guilty that makes me feel."

He considered her words and then shrugged. "Even if you and I aren't meant to be, I can still help you bring Andy here. Let me help you." He reached for her again.

Erin chuckled as she stepped away from him. "I can't see how us having sex again could make things any less complicated. Can you name one friendship that wasn't destroyed, or at least altered by including sex? You and I are already confused enough, Remus. We've already damaged our friendship with our raging hormones. I can't keep compounding it. I want us to go back to the way we were."

"I doubt that can happen now," he admitted. "Things have changed between us whether we like it or not."

"Right," she agreed. "We've dug ourselves a hole. Now it's time to stop digging."

He was silent for several seconds as he contemplated her words. "How will you get your other child then? If I don't help you, how will you bring her here?"

Erin sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "I don't know yet. There are a lot of things to consider here. I want Andy with me more than anything, but I am not willing to ruin lives for my own happiness."

He snorted and then smiled to himself. "You make it too easy to love you, but if you don't want me, I won't force myself on you. So, tell me more about this mystery woman you say I'll be with. When do I get to meet her?"

Erin gave him a wry smile. "You already have. You just have to start paying attention."

She left him then and went back down to the library were Sirius still sat with a fire whiskey in his hand.

"I'm going to bed," she said on a yawn. "Good night, Sirius."

A derisive scoff stalled her retreat and she raised an eyebrow at the back of his chair. "Is something wrong?"

"Did he wear you out?" Sirius grumbled, as he took another long sip from his glass.

"What?" she asked confused.

"Remus," he spat. "You followed him up to his room and now you're tired, so I assume he gave you a good work out."

Erin's mouth fell open in shock at his accusation. "Sirius, Remus and I weren't…"

"Fucking?" he interrupted harshly. "You don't need to lie to me, sweetheart."

She felt her body stiffen in outrage at his tone. Erin could tell that he was drunk, but that was no excuse for his behavior. "For your information, we were only talking."

"Sure you were," he grumbled. "That's why you went to his room to do it? That's why you were gone for so long? You don't need to sugar coat it with me, honey, I'm a big boy. I can take it."

"You're drunk and you're being rude. If you have something to say to me then just say it."

He scoffed again and took another drink.

"You know," she said, irritated. "For a man who claims not to be jealous you seem to have a keen interest in who I spend my time with."

"I'm not jealous," he spat. "I'm just sick of all the sneaking around."

Erin was truly dumbfounded. "As far as I know, no one is sneaking around. And might I remind you that I would never have had sex with Remus in the first place if you hadn't dared us to do it, all the while knowing I was too drunk to say 'no'."

"No one dared you to this time," he snarled, slamming his empty glass on the table and struggling wobbly to his feet to face her. "So, now what's your excuse?"

"We weren't having sex!" she bellowed. "If you must know, I went upstairs to break his heart. I told him we could never be together and that our _one and only_ time together was a mistake. That's not the sort of thing you do in front of an audience, Sirius!"

She saw the moment her words were absorbed by his alcohol addled brain and his eyes widened a bit. "You turned him away?" he frowned.

She gave a sharp nod. "I told him that we weren't meant to be together, and that he needed to look elsewhere for the relationship he craves. I told him that someone else was waiting to love him."

"Really?" He asked, surprised. "Who is waiting to love him?"

"That's none of your concern," she snapped.

"C'mon, who is it?" A sexy half-smile overtook the anger that just a moment before had marred his handsome face.

Erin glared at him and crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "Don't try and get all cute with me, _dog_. You just sat there are practically accused me of being a tramp and now you think I'm just going to forget it? Well, you can fuck right the hell off."

His smile turned sheepish and he inched forward a bit. "I'm sorry, honey. I guess I've had one too many and I let my imagination run wild. You're right, though. I am jealous. I have been regretting that damned dare since the minute it happened and it's been eating me up inside that he got to have you and I only had your mouth."

He stepped forward to drag his thumb along her bottom lip. "Not that I'm complaining about _that_," he sighed dreamily. "You have a magnificent mouth."

Erin wanted to back away as he lowered his head to hers, but her body was unwilling to listen. When their lips met she felt the shock of it all the way to her toes, which curled on the floor beneath her. The intensity of his kiss was only accentuated by the large quantity of liquor he had consumed, and he quickly became restless as he pulled her body closer to his.

"I want you so _bad_," he murmured into her mouth.

Indeed, she could feel the evidence of his desire pressing against her stomach and she couldn't contain her whimper as an intense jolt of pleasure shot straight through her belly toward her core. Erin could feel her pulse begin to race and her mind fragmented, scattering all sensible thoughts, so by the time he whispered, "Let's go to my room," all she could do was nod.

As they passed by Remus' room she nearly pulled away because of the guilt that crept over her, but his lips and body kept her moving forward until they reached his bed. He was so intoxicated that she was stunned they had made it the whole way without even stumbling once, but as he hooked his hands under her legs and sent them both tumbling onto the springy mattress no other thoughts mattered.

He seemed to be having a bit of difficulty undressing her so she smiled and pressed him onto his back so he could watch her pull her nightgown over her head. Once her body was exposed she gave him a siren's smile. "Do you need help too?"

At his slow nod, she bent and pulled up his shirt to press a line of small nipping kisses down his chest to his belly. A quick flick of her wrist had his jeans unbuttoned and she tugged, encouraging him to lift his hips to help her slide them down.

The sight that met her was impressive and she licked her lips in anticipation. Then her tongue darted out to caress him and she felt him jerk and shutter beneath her. As her mouth engulfed him he moaned deeply and bucked toward her, setting a wild, uneven rhythm, but he quickly caught on to the tempo she set and she basked in the hard breathy pants he made as her mouth swept over him. His hands were tight fists in her hair, and she willingly lost herself in his passion.

And then, strangely, she felt his hands slacken, and his hips began to slow and eventually stop altogether. And even though she knew he had not finished, his firmness seemed to melt under her tongue. Confused, she lifted her head and at once saw the reason.

"Well, damn," she muttered as she looked at him. His head was lolled to one side, and a soft snore escaped his slackened mouth as his breathing evened out into the rhythmic sounds of sleep.

At first Erin was miffed that he could pass out in the middle of such intense intimacy, but then she chuckled and shook her head. With a sigh she pulled her nightgown back on and got to her feet beside the bed. Then she righted his clothes the best she could and pulled a blanket over him.

She watched him sleep peacefully for a moment before placing a gentle kiss on his forehead and tip-toeing out of the room and down the stairs to her own bed. Unsurprisingly, Cassie was sprawled out in the middle of it, so she turned off the light and scooted the sleeping child over to squeeze in next to her.

It was for the best, she knew. She hadn't yet explained to him the possible consequences of their coming together, and she didn't want it to shock him the way it had Remus. If there was a chance Sirius might be Andy's father when and if she arrived in this world, she wanted him to be fully aware of it beforehand. Still, the experience had left her both frustrated and torn. He obviously wanted her, he'd said as much, but would he want fatherhood as well? Would he still be willing when he knew what his actions would mean? And even if he did, would he still want her thereafter?

Erin sighed as the remnants of her lust ebbed away. _It is for the best_, she thought again. How could she ever face Remus again if Andy was suddenly here in the morning? She had just let him down and told him there was no one else, but it had been a lie and she knew it. She wanted nothing more than to walk right back to Sirius' room and have her way with him, but the timing just wasn't right. Even though she missed her child with every fiber of her being - and even though she wanted Sirius so badly she could taste it – she knew she needed more time to think and plan.

"Well, damn," she muttered again. Why did things have to be so bloody complicated?

...

Yeah, not too exciting, I know, but I needed to resolve the Remus issue to allow everyone to move forward. I know a lot of people don't like threesomes where one person gets hurt or left behind, but since I am trying to stick as close to the books as possible, you must have guessed that Remus ends up with Tonks here. Particularly since this story is about Erin and Sirius. Don't be mad please!

Anyway, as always, please let me know what you think!

**Review! Review! Review!**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything having to do with Harry Potter! I am not profiting from this work in any way other than emotionally!**


	15. Holiday Magic

Chapter fifteen

The next morning Sirius didn't seem to recall much of what had happened while he was drunk, which was something of a relief for Erin. She was also glad to note that in the following weeks the relationship between Remus and Cassie did not change. There was still the issue with Andy to consider though, and every day it weighed more and more heavily on her mind.

By the beginning of December the house had fallen into a decent routine. Each weekday was dedicated to Erin and Cassie's educations, and the weekend days were filled with fun and adventure. It was the evenings that were the most trying.

The Order had seen a flurry of activity near the beginning of November and there had been a meeting nearly every night since then. Mostly they discussed ways to keep tabs on all of the known and suspected Death Eaters. The Order believed that the Dark Lord was about to make a play on the Department of Mysteries and they were trying their best to thwart any such attempts.

Unfortunately, the meetings often left Sirius sulky and in a grouchy mood. He was frequently vocal about how useless and impotent he felt because of the tight leash he was being kept on. Sadly, his foul temper often spilled over into his daily routine. The only person who seemed to be able to help him shake off his bad mood was Cassie. Her child's innocence and loving personality was the only balm he seemed to have, and it made Erin both happy and sad at the same time.

She loved how much he loved her little girl, but she felt the loss of his playful and engaging company weigh deeply upon her. The feeling was compounded by the fact that Remus had finally noticed Tonks. In mid-November Erin began to notice that he seemed very distracted after the other members of the Order had gone for the night. When she asked him about it, he would only shrug and say that he had a lot on his mind. Within a few days she realized exactly what it was that was sidetracking him.

More and more he could be found sitting next to the young metamorphmagus, with his head bent closely to hers; seemingly engrossed in whatever she was saying. Indeed, after one meeting late in the month they had been so immersed in their private conversation that the meeting had let out around them and they didn't even realize it until Erin came in to say goodnight. The next day he confronted Erin in the kitchen.

"It's her, isn't it?" he asked abruptly.

Erin gave him a soft smile, not verbally answering, yet not denying it either. He nodded in understanding, but the look on his face as he abruptly exited the room made her sigh. She could see the concern and the ever present self-defeatist emotions reflected in his eyes and it sent a deep pang through her heart. Remus deserved love and happiness more than almost anyone, and yet he seemed so unwilling to allow himself such luxuries. His self-imposed misery was both sad and annoying as the only thing standing between him and happiness was his own skewed sense of self-worth. Sure, in the end she knew that he would eventually allow himself to be loved as he deserved, but until then he would be miserable, and it would be his own damned fault.

Still, with things finally moving in their predisposed direction, Erin was feeling quite left out and more than a bit lonely. No longer did she and the two men meet in the library at the end of the day. More often than not, Remus was with Tonks, and Sirius was either drunk or sulking in his room. This left Erin with far too much time to think about, and subsequently miss her youngest daughter. As with Sirius, Cassie was a great comfort to her during this time, but after the child fell asleep at night, there was nothing for Erin to do but read and think. It killed her that she thought she had a solution to her problem, but it was one she simply couldn't contemplate attempting yet.

Although she suspected that Sirius would not hesitate to help her, she knew that with everything else going on just now (not to mention everything that was about to happen) the timing was just terrible. If and when Andy should arrive, she wanted to greet her at a happy time when she and Sirius could really embrace her. But, now, with all of the anxiety and chaos looming around them…the thought just wasn't feasible.

Then one night near the middle of December after the Order had dispersed for the evening, Erin found herself alone in the library. There was a lot weighing on her mind as she slowly paced in front of the bright fireplace. In just a few days, she knew, Arthur Weasley would be attacked by Nagini as he stood watch near the Department of Mysteries. Then the house would be full of people again and Sirius would be happy once more. Until then, there was very little to keep her own mood from sinking.

As she paced, the sound of the door opening distracted her and she glanced up to see Sirius, with a tearful Cassie in his arms.

"She had a nightmare and she couldn't find you so she came to my room," he explained as he set the child gingerly on her feet on the floor.

Erin crouched and held her arms out to the little girl who ran into her warm, comforting embrace.

"Aw, sweetie," she cooed. "I'm sorry I wasn't there. Are you okay?"

Cassie sniffed and nodded wetly. "I dreamt that I was back at home with Andy and you were gone again. We looked and looked for you, but we couldn't find you! And then all of a sudden Andy was gone too and I was all alone. I was so scared!"

Erin forced herself to hold back tears as she listened to her child. Surely what she described was what poor Andy was going through right now. It was too painful to consider so she simply held Cassie until she was calm, reassuring her all the while that she would never willingly leave her again.

It was only after Cassie had finally fallen back to sleep in her arms that Erin realized that Sirius was still there.

"Thank you for looking after her, Sirius," she whispered gently. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate your being such a good friend to her…to both of us, really. We would be lost here without you."

He grimaced at her words and for a moment Erin wondered if she'd said something wrong. Then he sighed and shook his head sadly. "Except I haven't been a very good friend recently, have I?" he murmured.

"You have every right to feel however you want to feel," she insisted quietly. "I know how frustrating this is for you. Everyone is making all of these plans around you, but they refuse to let you help, and you can't even go for a walk outside just to get some fresh air and clear your head. I know how infuriating that is. I know so much about the future, but I can't say anything about it. And ever since the Brittany incident, I have been pretty much confined here as well, so I understand how exasperated you must feel and I don't blame you at all for being upset."

He stared at her for a full minute before responding. "Oh, good Lord, Erin…" he moaned. "I am such an insensitive idiot. Please forgive me!"

"For what?" she asked, perplexed.

He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head in a show of self-recrimination. "I was so caught up in my own misery that I never even considered that you were going through the exact same thing. All this time, I kept thinking, 'Why me?', when you've been going though that and more. Some friend I am. God, I am such a selfish ass!"

"It's okay," she said as she readjusted the sleeping child in her arms and then walked over to pull him into a half hug. "I've mostly been worried about you."

He chuckled lightly as he held her. "Don't lie. I know you, Erin, and I know that you have probably been worrying about everyone and everything all at once, and the whole time I could have been there with you but instead I've been locked away by myself seeking solace at the bottom of a bottle of fire whiskey." He gently kissed her hair, and then Cassie's. "Ah, I am such a blind fool."

After a long moment, they finally pulled away from each other, and Sirius, seeing how Erin was struggling to hold the heavy bundle in her arms, gently took Cassie from her.

"You know," he said brightly, "It's almost Christmas. We should probably get ready for it. What do think this little princess would like?"

Erin chuckled. "I'm sure you'll think of something, and I'm sure that she'll love it. You're really good with her."

A small, pleased flush ran across his skin as he grinned down at her and it made her heart skip to see him shine at the complement. Sirius Black was never more handsome than when he smiled at her like that.

"What about you?" he asked her then. "What do _you_ want?"

Erin shrugged even though she knew exactly what she wanted from him. But until she really had a chance to talk to him about it, she knew she couldn't ask it of him. And just now, while he held her sleeping daughter so tenderly…it just wasn't the right moment to discuss the matter.

"I'm good," she said, as she shook her head. "You've given me enough and more by being my friend and letting us live here."

Sirius harrumphed and gave her a slight frown, but he let the subject drop.

For the next few days, Sirius' mood lifted significantly and he spent a lot of much-appreciated time with Erin and Cassie. Then on the night of the 18th it finally happened.

It was nearly midnight when the fireplace suddenly blazed to life and Dumbledore's voice filled the house. "Arthur Weasley has been attacked while on his watch. His condition is critical and he is being taken to St. Mungos. The Weasley children, along with Harry Potter, will be arriving at Headquarters shortly. Please make ready for them."

Within half an hour the group of young houseguests arrived. Erin made tea and coffee, but the children were so upset about what had happened that they barely touched their beverages. It was only after Molly arrived with the good news of Arthur's positive prognosis that the tension was finally broken and the mood lightened drastically.

After breakfast, while Harry and the Weasley's were preparing to walk to St. Mungo's, Erin and Sirius were ready to drop with exhaustion. Thankfully, Remus and Tonks offered to watch Cassie while they napped. The children had been quite surprised when the little girl had presented herself during the meal. Thankfully, Erin had already prepared Cassie for this very circumstance and together they explained that Cassie was Erin's cousin from America, and due to a family emergency, she was temporarily in her care. The children bought the story easily enough as they were far too weary from their long, stressful night to really care.

"You never told me what you wanted for Christmas," Sirius said as they sluggishly climbed the steps to their rooms once the house was quiet again.

"I already told you," Erin said on a yawn. "You've done enough for us."

He chuckled at her resistance. "Protest all you want, but I'm still getting you something."

"Impossible man," Erin groused with a smile. "Okay, I'll tell you what I want, but give me some time."

"Well, there are only four shopping days until Christmas Eve, so don't wait too long," he warned.

"I won't," she told him, knowing full well that what she wanted from him didn't require going to a store.

That night and all of the next day was filled with excitement and anticipation as they decorated the house for the holiday. Hermione Granger's arrival mid-morning severely interrupted the reunion between Harry and his godfather but thankfully Sirius didn't seem too bothered. Indeed, Erin couldn't help but grin as his voice rang out through the house as he bellowed, "God rest ye merry hippogriff," at the top of his lungs. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits as they draped everything in bright shades of green, red, and gold.

Soon the house looked revitalized and cheerful, which considering its formerly dreary interior, was truly saying something. The last thing they did was erect a large beautiful tree which shone brightly with ornaments and fairy lights. When they were done Sirius lifted Cassie up onto his shoulders to place a shining star, which she had handmade, at the very top. Once it was in place the little girl jumped up and down happily and grinned from ear to ear, making everyone smile in return.

"Oh, please," she said, turning toward Erin. "Remus told me that you can play the piano now. Will you _please_ play some Christmas songs?"

Erin nodded and sat down at the bench and began to play. For the next hour everyone joined in on uplifting songs like, 'We wish you a Merry Christmas', 'Jingle Bells', and 'Santa Clause is coming to town'. Then there were more somber songs like, 'Silver Bells', 'Silent Night', and 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas'. During a lull in the music, Cassie turned wet, sad eyes on her mother and sighed, "I miss Andy. I really wish she was here."

"Me too, sweetheart," Erin said as she hugged the child to her side.

"Will you play a song for Andy?" Cassie asked, innocently. "Maybe if you play a song for her, she'll hear it and find us."

"Okay, hon," Erin said a little helplessly. She thought for a moment and then her fingers glided across the keys…

"Take back the holly and mistletoe,  
Silver bells on string.  
If I wrote a letter to Santa Claus  
I would ask for just one thing.  
I don't need sleigh rides in the snow.  
Don't want a Christmas that's blue.  
Take back the tinsel, stockings, and bows,  
'Cuz all I want for Christmas is you!  
I don't need expensive things.  
They don't matter to me.  
All that I want can't be found  
Underneath the Christmas tree!  
You are the angel atop my tree.  
You are my dream come true.  
Santa can't bring me what I need,  
'Cuz all I want for Christmas is you!  
I don't need expensive things.  
They don't matter to me.  
All that I want can't be found  
Underneath the Christmas tree!  
You are the angel atop my tree.  
You are my dream come true.  
Santa can't bring me what I need,  
'Cuz all I want for Christmas is you  
'Cuz all I want for Christmas is you  
'Cuz all I want for Christmas is you!"

As the last heavy note faded, her eyes met Sirius' and she saw sympathy and understanding reflecting back at her.

After the Children had been herded off to bed, and most of the adults had retired to their rooms for the evening, Erin pulled Sirius aside.

"So, I've told you what I want," she said softly.

Sirius sighed and frowned down at her. "I know, baby," he whispered, as he stroked her cheek gently. "I know how badly you want her here, but how can I…?

"There might be a way," she interrupted. "It's not a sure thing, but it's the only theory we have." She took a deep breath. "You might want to sit for this bit of news."

Once he was seated, she haltingly explained about Cassie and Remus' new biological connection. As she guessed, he didn't take the news well, but at least his anger was directed inwardly and not at her.

"So you see," she said at last, "Albus believes that Cassie needed a biological mother _and_ father to transverse realities. It stands to reason that Andy would need that as well. So, Sirius, I have to ask if you would be willing to become the biological father to my younger daughter."

He was silent for several seconds as he contemplated her request. "Let me see if I've got this right," he said after a full minute had passed. "You want me to help you bring your other daughter to our world, and in order to do this you and I have to have sex so that I can become her biological father."

"That about sums it up," Erin nodded, hopefully. "Of course, I'd understand if you don't want to. It is a lot to ask…"

She had hardly finished her sentence before Sirius hurled himself to his feet and pulled her into his arms. His mouth was on hers in the next instant and it was hungry and demanding and thoroughly intoxicating. She felt the heat of him seep into her very blood and desire pooled low in her belly, making her insides quiver and melt deliciously.

When he finally pulled away to allow her to catch her breath she had to struggle to control her wildly beating heart. Her knees were weak and she had to hold on to him to keep from falling. When at least she could form coherent words she asked, "Are you sure about this?"

Sirius chucked painfully as he pulled her tighter against him so that she could feel the evidence of his consent against her belly. "I have wanted you since the moment I met you," he whispered hoarsely. "Knowing that Remus had you first nearly destroyed me; even though I know that it was all my fault. Every night I lie awake and imagine what it must have felt like for him - to take your innocence, to be inside you, to give you pleasure. I have to admit that I've hated him for it. But, I've hated myself more for allowing it to happen. I want you so badly. Every night I go to bed aching for you. And now you're giving me the chance not only to have your body, but also to become a permanent part of your life? Of your child's life? There's nothing to think about."

Erin melted at his words and pulled his head back down to hers to feel his mouth once more. His lips were firm and demanding as they roamed from her mouth down the column of her throat to her frantically beating pulse. His tongue darted out and traced her collarbone before dipping lower to the top of her blouse.

With a growl of frustration he began tugging at her clothes, but Erin grabbed his hands to stop him. His expression was confused until she uttered, "Not here. Let's go to your room." It took no more encouragement than that. Before she could blink Sirius scooped her into his arms and rushed her up the two flights of stairs to his bedroom.

"Anxious?" Erin chucked as he set her on her feet again.

"You have no idea," he grimaced, and then he was on her again. Within seconds her shirt was on the floor, and her bra quickly followed. His hand hesitated for a heartbeat before he skimmed the soft flesh of her breast to gently caress a nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

Erin arched her back to give him better access to her body, and then she moaned deeply as Sirius lowered his head to her throat once more. Her skin was so hot and so sensitized that the double sensations he was creating sent her reeling. She felt light headed as her senses went into over-drive.

She felt his lips trail downward to her already taught nipples and then she felt the heat of his tongue and the cold of his breath against her newly moistened skin. His hands slid around to the small of her back and then lower to cup her butt as his mouth lavished attention on one breast, and then the other.

A moment later he began tugging impatiently on the waistband of her jeans. "Take these off," he growled. "I want to feel all of you."

"Then you should take some clothes off too," she smiled wickedly.

Sirius grinned down at her and then held his arms up so she could pull his shirt over his head, exposing his lean, muscular chest and arms. Once the majority of his flesh was exposed she trailed her eager fingers across the firm lines and plains of his body, delighting in how he stiffened and trembled under her wandering digits. Then her fingers found the fly of his jeans and with a quick flick of her wrist, the material parted and she tugged the denim down his hips to his knees so he could kick it away.

Her breath left her lungs in an audible whoosh as she took in the sheer size of him beneath his loose boxers. Then it was his turn to gasp as she reached out to caress him through the silken material.

She gripped him tightly and slowly moved her hands in the rhythm he set as his hips jerked toward her, but he quickly became impatient and stepped out of her reach to yank her jeans down to her ankles. "Kick them off," he demanded, and she complied immediately. When she was standing before him in just her skimpy thong panties, he lifted her in his arms and dropped her onto the bed, blanketing her with his hot, eager body.

Erin didn't need prompting to wrap her legs around him, making a cradle for his hips between her thighs. His mouth found hers again as he rubbed and thrust impatiently against her enticing heat. With each grind she felt him press closer and closer to her core until his silk draped tip was pressing right against her opening. On the next thrust she gasped as she felt him plunge deep inside her.

Sirius seemed just as surprised as she and he lifted his body up just enough to get a good view of their joining. Apparently, in his eager gyrations he had burst through the vent flap on the front of his boxers, and past the tiny triangle of material that protected her. It hardly mattered to him though, as the anticipation and heady foreplay had brought him nearly to the breaking point anyway – and seeing their bodies joined, and feeling her tight, wet heat around him sapped what was left of his control. With a shuddering moan, he grabbed her hips and pounded into her again and again. It didn't take much to send him soaring and not a moment later he felt his orgasm peak. Sirius gripped her hips tightly in his hands and buried himself to the hilt as he came hard and fast inside of her.

Once he had caught his breath he shook his head in disgust. "That wasn't supposed to happen," he said by way of apology. "I wanted you to scream my name before I took you."

"There's still time," Erin grinned, wiggling her hips enticingly.

Sirius returned her grin and then planted a quick kiss on her smiling lips. "Hold still, sweetheart," he said as he eased out of her. Once he was on his feet he hooked her panties with his thumbs and yanked them off before stepping out of his boxers. Then he grabbed up his wand and cleaned both of their bodies with a wordless spell.

He stood for a moment, drinking in the sight before him as she lounged on the bed so enticingly. "Good God, you are beautiful," he breathed. "I wonder, do you taste as good as you look?"

Erin barely had time to react before he fell to his knees and pulled her legs apart so that he could bury his face against her damp heat. His tongue dragged the length of her slit several times, making her buck and squirm beneath him. The eager anticipation she felt made her whimper and beg for more. Finally he took pity on her as he pressed his tongue between the dripping folds to stab and lap at the tiny bundle of nerves at her apex.

"Sirius!" she cried, as her pleasure mounted much quicker than either of them expected. He took the tiny bud between his lips and pulled once, and that was all it took to send her over the edge. Her release hit her hard and fast and Sirius had to hold her down to keep her from bucking him off. Yet, he did not stop his delicious exploration. As her first orgasm faded, he slid a finger inside her as his mouth went to work on her clit again so that a second release immediately followed the first… and then another, and another. By the time her fourth consecutive climax hit her, Erin felt as though her heart might just burst though her chest it was pounding so hard. Her limbs were trembling and her lungs burned for air.

"Please!" she cried. "No more! Please, let me breathe!"

Reluctantly, Sirius pulled away from her heavenly taste, but he simply couldn't leave her. Pulling her legs over his shoulders, he thrust inside her again. Her body was still clenching and pulsating from the quick string of orgasms and he felt those wonderful muscles grip and milk him as he moved leisurely inside her. It was difficult, but he kept his pace slow and even to allow her body to come down from the intense pleasure he'd given her. However, once her body began to relax he picked up the pace, angling himself perfectly to hit her internal sweet spot.

He saw the surprise on her face as he rammed her G-spot again and again, and then he felt her body quicken once more as the fifth and most intense release yet overtook her. Her moans increased in volume so rapidly that he barely had time to sound-proof the room before she screamed his name so loudly it actually hurt his ears.

Her muscles began to clench and she held him so tightly that he had trouble moving – but it didn't matter. It felt like he was being squeezed by a hot, taut fist and it was more than enough to propel him over the edge into oblivion.

"I love you."

Sirius was breathing so hard he barely heard the words. He was sprawled out, boneless and replete on top of her, letting his racing heart gradually slow when he heard the whisper of her voice and it took his brain several seconds to understand what she had said.

He propped himself up on his elbows above her, and stared down into her sweet face. Under his intense gaze, her cheeks turned bright red and she closed her eyes and tried to turn away, but he cupped her chin and held her head still.

"Don't be embarrassed with me, darling, especially not when you are so sweetly declaring your love to me."

"Sirius, please…" A single tear formed at the corner of her eye and he caught it with his thumb and brought it to his lips.

"Don't cry," he whispered before lowering his head to place a gentle kiss on her lips, jaw and throat. "I love you, too." He kissed her again. "I have wanted to tell you for so long, but I didn't know how. I love you, Erin. I love you and Cassie and if Andy should appear here in the morning, I know I'll love her too."

"You are an amazing man, Sirius," Erin murmured, reaching up to touch his beloved face. "It was worth it, being stuck here, just to have met you."

He smiled at her and kissed her fingers as they passed over his lips, then he wrapped his arms around her and rolled both of them onto their sides; pulling the covers over them as they settled in to the bed.

"Thank you," she whispered again as her eyes drifted shut, "For everything."

"Anytime, sweetheart." He pulled her closer to him, reveling in the fact that, for the first time in his life, he felt completely happy.

In the morning Sirius awoke with a smile on his face. He felt the warmth of another body in his bed and bent down to lay a kiss on her beloved head – only, something was off. The head he kissed seemed much too small. His eyes snapped open at once and he jumped when he realized his near error.

In the bed, wedged awkwardly between Erin and himself (thankfully atop the covers), was Cassie. His shock had just begun to melt into amusement when Erin opened her eyes. She smiled sleepily over at him and then she followed his gaze down to their small intruder. She gasped and yanked the covers to her neck, waking Cassie in the process.

"Good morning, Mommy," the little girl said sleepily, as she leaned over to give her mother a wet kiss on the cheek. "And good morning, Sirius." He flushed over red and pulled the blanket up over his chest as she gave his cheek a kiss as well.

"Um, Cassie…honey…" Erin murmured haltingly, feeling the embarrassment all the way to her toes. "What are you doing in here?"

"I woke up and you weren't there, so I came in to ask Sirius if he'd seen you but I found you instead! You were asleep, so I decided to come back to bed too." She smiled innocently at both of them, but then confusion flittered across her face. "Why did you sleep in here, Mommy?" she asked. "And what happened to your pajamas?"

"We were having a sleepover and it got hot," Sirius said in a deadpan voice.

"Oh, okay." Cassie nodded, thankfully taking his words at face value. "Did you play any sleepover games?"

"That's enough with the questions," Erin said a little too brightly. "Cassie, go get dressed and then go on down to the kitchen for breakfast."

"Okay, Mommy," she said, and then she hopped up and waved at them both before skipping happily out of the room.

"Well, that was awkward," Sirius chuckled.

"That was mortifying," Erin corrected darkly, dropping her head into her hands.

Sirius grinned widely and pillowed his head on his arms. "We'll just be more careful in the future."

Erin gave him a sly smirk. "What makes you think there'll be anymore of this in the future? I got what I wanted from you so I see no reason to do it again."

He frowned for a moment until he saw the barely contained laughter on her face. "You little minx," he snarled as he rolled over, trapping her body beneath his.

He was already aroused – she could feel him pressing against her thighs, but she shook her head regretfully. "We can't. I need to send word to Albus to be on the lookout for Andy. Plus the door isn't locked and we've already had one unexpected visitor this morning. I don't want any more surprise visits."

He groaned in resignation and then rolled over onto his back to stretch. "Fine," he huffed. "Go send your message. I'm going to take a shower – but just know that I plan on picking up where I left off very soon."

"Hmmm," she murmured appreciatively, and then she bent down to give him a quick kiss before hopping to her feet to grab up her clothes. "I can't wait!"

Erin dressed quickly and then practically danced from the room and down the stairs toward the kitchen. The easiest, quickest way to contact Albus would be to use the floo network, and although she was a bit embarrassed to admit she's slept with Sirius now, too – she knew that he needed to be prepared should Andy suddenly appear on the castle grounds just as she and Cassie had done.

As she passed Remus' room she felt a small pang of guilt; that is, until his door opened and Tonks stepped out. It was still very early, and it was obvious that she had been there all night. Her hair was mussed and her clothes were wrinkled and disheveled. Her appearance, in other words, reflected Erin's nearly perfectly.

Tonks seemed just as stunned as Erin to be caught sneaking out of a man's bedroom. Her eyes were wide, and she looked like a deer caught in headlights for just a moment before she took in Erin's equally tousled appearance.

They shared a look of mutual understanding before going their separate ways. In that moment Erin felt both Happy and sad for both Remus and Tonks. They deserved all the happiness in the world, but it should not have such a tragic, abrupt ending. It also made her realize that very soon she would have to make a huge decision regarding Sirius. If she did nothing he would die in just a few months, and there was no way she could let that happen. But, how could she prevent it? Even if she told him the truth about the battle at the Ministry he would likely still want to go, if only to protect Harry. So, how could she keep him safe?

She was thinking about it as she made her way to the kitchen. Thankfully, the room was still deserted. She lit a fire in the hearth and tossed in a handful of floo powder, and then kneeling down, she stuck her head in the green flames and called out, "Headmaster's office. Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

She felt the pull of the magic as it drew her torso forward. A moment later Dumbledore's office came into view. From the depths of the flickering green fire she spotted him as he paced back and forth in front of his desk.

"Good Morning, Professor," she called out. "Don't you ever sleep?"

He paused and turned to face the fire. An easy smile spread across his face as he recognized her. "Good morning, Miss Sharp," he said, congenitally. "To what do I owe this welcome, yet somewhat surprising visit?"

There seemed to be no reason to beat around the bush, so she pressed forward honestly. "Professor, there is a chance that my youngest daughter may appear on the castle grounds sometime today, and I wanted to ask you to watch for her."

"Indeed?" he said brightly. "What makes you believe that she might be arriving soon?"

She wondered if he could see her blush amidst the flames. "Sirius and I have put your theory to the test and he has consented to be her other biological parent," she told him simply, leaving the implications of her words hanging in the air.

His eyes twinkled merrily at her blasé confession. "I see," he nodded. "Yes, well, I will be sure to keep a very close eye on both the castle and grounds. If she does indeed appear here, I will bring her straight to you. Thank you for informing me."

As Erin thanked him and pulled herself back out of the flames, feeling her excitement grow by the second. At any moment her lost child might appear and make her family complete. Already Sirius had filled the gaping hole Jack had created in her heart, and once Andy arrived she knew her fragmented heart would be whole once more – at least until the end of June.

All the rest of the day she was practically giddy with anxious anticipation, but as night fell with no word from Dumbledore, she began to grow worried and despondent. Sirius sat with her after everyone else had gone to bed. He could feel the disappointment and sorrow radiating from her, but he was at a loss as to what he could do to ease her pain.

After several hours of silence, she finally sighed and shook her head. "We must have been wrong," she whispered. "There must be something else at work that we haven't considered. Or, maybe…maybe we don't understand it at all and there is no way to force it to happen. Maybe I made you do all of that for nothing."

He frowned and pulled her to his chest as tears seeped from her eyes and trailed down her cheeks. "It wasn't for nothing," he told her gently. "I got to be with you and that was more than worth it. Don't cry, baby. We'll think of some way to bring her here. You'll see."

Christmas Eve dawned bright and cold in London and the excitement in the air was palpable. All of the Weasley children were practically bouncing off the walls and Cassie was more than happy to join them. They spent the day putting last minute touches on the decorations, while chatting animatedly about what presents they might be getting.

It took more effort than normal to get the children off to bed that night, but when it was finally done, Erin and Sirius helped Molly place the colorfully wrapped gifts beneath the tree.

"So what did you get me?" Sirius asked playfully as they sat back to admire their handiwork. The library looked beautiful with the shimmering tree, tinsel, and brightly colored candles that flickered dimly in the background.

"You'll see in the morning," Erin giggled.

He seemed surprised at her words. "You mean you actually got me a gift? You didn't have to do that."

"It's nothing impressive," she assured. "But I wanted to get you something to say 'Thank you' for all that you've done for us…and for all you tried to do."

He was silent for a moment as he held her, and then he gently kissed her temple. "I can't tell you how sorry I am that it didn't work."

"Me too," she sniffled sadly. "I can't stand the thought that she'll be without the people who really love her on Christmas. She must feel so abandoned and alone."

Sirius wiped her tears, and then kissed her nose, cheeks and lips. His kisses were gentle at first, but when he felt her begin to respond, he became emboldened and more demanding.

Erin moaned and held his head to hers as she matched and returned his passionate embrace. Soon his hands were everywhere on her, moving from face, to sides, to belly and then up under her shirt to her bra encased breasts. There he paused and pulled away to meet her lust-filled gaze.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked breathlessly, "because soon I won't be able to stop."

She nodded and pulled him back with her so that they lay prone on the sofa. "I want you," she said as she kissed him once more. "I don't want to think anymore. I only want to feel."

He didn't need any more encouragement than that. In the next instant her shirt and bra lay discarded on the floor along with his t-shirt, and his face was buried in her bosom.

"I love your breasts," he murmured as he nuzzled her. "They're so soft, and so very tasty." He proved his point by tracing his tongue from the top of each orb to its already taught nipple.

"It's not the tastiest part of you, though." He reared back and practically ripped her jeans off before yanking her legs apart and descending on her like a starving man at a banquet.

Erin gasped and moaned at his unexpected invasion and her fingers gripped his hair tightly. Instantly she felt the pleasure build and she found it difficult to hold her hips still as he brought her to a leg-trembling release. As before he did not stop there, but kept on until she had to beg him to let her breathe.

"I hope you're ready for me, because I can't wait any longer." He was panting as he sat up to free himself from the uncomfortable confines of his too-tight jeans.

"Not yet," she murmured.

Sirius frowned at her as she leaned forward and pushed him onto his back. His frown morphed into a silent O as she bent to drag her tongue along his aching, stony erection. His hips jerked uncontrollably as she took him into her mouth and began to suckle and pull.

"Oh, God, Erin!" he gasped. "I don't think I can take much more of this!"

"You can," she breathed, sending warm air over his overly-sensitized length. He whimpered at her words and she glanced up as she descended upon him once more. His eyes were scrunched closed and his teeth were clenched as if he were in immense pain, though she knew it was just the opposite.

His breathing hitched and he began to whimper and pant as her tongue swirled and lapped over him, but yet she didn't stop. It wasn't until he cried out and begged her to relent that she finally lifted her head. Erin gave him a siren's smile as she climbed atop him and aligned their bodies so that all he had to do was lift his hips to join them together.

His breath left his lungs in a long hiss as he grasped her thighs and began to pound upward into her. All of his control deserted him as he felt her come again, her body clenching and gripping him like a vice. He grasped her firmly around the waist and rolled them gently to the floor so that he could use his leverage to thrust even deeper inside her. Within seconds he felt his body begin to fragment, and then he was yelling his release against her throat as his body jerked and writhed uncontrollably.

"Holy hell," he gasped, once he could formulate coherent words again. "Loving you is going to kill me, woman."

Erin chuckled and leaned up to kiss him. "Perhaps," she smiled, "but what a wonderful way to go."

…..

It was close to dawn when the sound of the front door closing jarred her awake. Erin blinked into the dull light of the room, disoriented and confused until she recognized Sirius' warmth as he burrowed closer to her side.

After another round of passion they had created a makeshift bed on the floor of the library and had fallen into an exhausted, but well-satisfied sleep. Erin smiled softly as she took in his peaceful expression. He looked so young in his sleep – as if the last few years hadn't taken such a huge physical and emotional toll on him. She wished that he could wear that peaceful expression all the time, but she knew that life was not meant to be easy for this man she so loved.

She wanted to continue watching him sleep, but the sound of approaching footsteps made her anxious about being caught in such an awkward situation, particularly should the early morning intruder be one of the children sneaking around to peek at the presents.

She rather reluctantly wiggled out of his warm embrace and quickly threw her clothes back on. Once she was dressed she followed the dim murmur of voices to the kitchen. As she approached the door, she realized exactly who the voices belonged to and a confused frown formed on her lips as she sidled into the room.

"Severus?" she called out. "Professor Dumbledore? What are you doing here so early?"

The sight before her nearly stopped her heart.

As Severus turned to face her she spied the small blanket-clad bundle that he cradled so delicately in his arms. Erin could only gasp as the sleeping child stirred and opened her eyes – Sirius' eyes – and turned her head slowly to face her.

"Mommy?" Andy yawned, still half asleep. And then at once she was fully awake. She began to squirm wildly as she held out her arms toward Erin. Severus lowered her to the floor just as she screamed, "Mommy!"

Erin felt her legs give out and she fell to her knees just as Andy began to run toward her. She brought up her arms and caught the little girl as she hurled herself forward in a desperate embrace. Erin wasn't aware that she was sobbing until the tears soaked her cheeks, but then she dimly realized that the sounds of her uncontained emotions must have awoken Sirius as he bolted into the room and skidded to a halt beside her.

His eyes raked the room suspiciously and then they fell on her huddled form and the child clinging so tightly to her neck. His mouth fell open and all he could do was stare in wonder at what he was witnessing. Erin looked up at him then and smiled as best she could through her tears. He slowly returned her smile and then looked up to see the twinkling eyes of the headmaster shining happily at him.

"Happy Christmas," Albus grinned.

….

Note: The song mentioned in this chapter is _All I want for Christmas is you_, by Vince Vance and the Valiants.

So here was chapter 15. I hate that it took so long to get out but some personal health issues and several unfortunate events made finding time to write extremely difficult. I hope that you haven't given up on me, because I haven't given up on this story! Anyway, the plot seems to be progressing the way I want it to now, and we've finally seen Erin and Sirius get together and declare their love, but there is still quite a bit to come. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and if you did (or even if you didn't) please let me know in the **reviews**!

Legal Note: I do **not** own anything having to do with Harry Potter, and I am making no profit from this story. I am only a dedicated fan with an active imagination!


	16. Found and Lost

It's finally here! The new chapter!

My life has been insane and I have had almost no time for writing, but this story has never been far from my mind. Because it is obvious that I won't have as much time as I want to allow the story to progress in a leisurely manner, I have decided to speed things along a bit. Unfortunately, that means that this chapter feels a bit rushed to me. I hope that you don't mind that I'm kind of cutting to the point, but if this story is ever going to reach its conclusion, I have to get things moving!

Let me know what you think!

As always - I do not own Harry Potter or anything related to it. I am only playing around!

...

Chapter 16

The house was peaceful and quiet when Erin sought out Sirius in the library. It had become his custom to keep the children entertained while Erin cleaned up after dinner. Tonight was no exception. As always, the sight of her little family warmed her heart.

Sirius was seated in his usual chair by the fire, but instead of having a drink in his hand, he held a sleepy five-year-old. Cassie sat on the floor by his knees, completely enraptured by the story he was telling about a sly witch named Mirabelle and how she used her magic to trick an evil king into giving up his throne.

It hadn't taken long at all for Sirius to fall into a fatherly routine. The first few days after Andy's arrival had been a little difficult. The child had been understandably confused and frightened by her magical journey and although she was thrilled to be with her mother and sister again, there was simply too much about her new surroundings that she found to be upsetting.

It took the combined efforts of Erin, Cassie, and Sirius to finally assure her that nothing in the house would harm her. However, no amount of assurances would convince the child to go anywhere near Buckbeak. This refusal was problematic at first because explaining one child's existence in the house had been deceptively easy, but the sudden arrival of a second would be far too suspicious. Initially, the plan had been to hide Andy in the master bedroom until school was in again, but her fear of the large hippogriff meant that that idea had to be modified. In the end Sirius allowed Erin to utilize his childhood bedroom.

The second problem was Andy's absolute refusal to be left alone for any amount of time. Erin didn't mind at first because she was just as eager to be with her after so many months of separation. But Andy's fear and uncertainty were so bad that she would begin to cry any time Erin was out of her sight. This made things such as lessons and even bathing nearly impossible and Sirius could see how deeply the strain was affecting everyone, so he took it upon himself to win the child's trust; not only to give Erin a much needed break, but also to get to know his new biological daughter.

From the start he was fascinated with the child who looked so much like him (though Erin said that only her eyes and the shape of her mouth had really changed), and the longer he spent with the little girl the more delighted and enraptured he became. He loved how bright and quick thinking she was and whenever she had something on her mind, how serious her little expression became.

He also loved how sweet and affectionate she was; the first time she crawled into his lap and fell asleep cradled in his arms he refused to relinquish her to her mother to be put to bed. He spent that whole night enduring the discomfort of an ancient rocking chair rather than disturb the beautiful, innocent child in his arms.

It delighted him whenever he saw aspects of himself in her. She was stubborn and a bit impatient just as he was, and also like him, when she set her mind to something she needed to see it through. He couldn't help but laugh when she stomped her foot and refused to go to bed one night. He laughed even harder when she tried to charm him in order to negotiate a new, later bed time.

It was very difficult to keep her out of sight until the twelfth of January when all of the older children went back to school. Andy knew there were other people in the house and the confines of the small room made her antsy and aggravated. After only a few days of internment she begged and pleaded to be allowed to explore the rest of the house, and when that didn't work she attempted to sway Sirius and Erin with tears and fits. It broke their hearts a bit to deny her, but they knew it would be safer for everyone if she was kept hidden away until there were fewer non-Order members around. Their refusal didn't set well with her and she was caught more than once trying to sneak down stairs. After that, the adults in the house decided to take turns keeping her amused and distracted. More often than not it was Sirius and Erin who stayed by her side.

When she was finally allowed access to the rest of the house, she was equal parts frightened and fascinated. In the end her curiosity won out, and with the encouragement of the adults she began to feel more and more comfortable living in the strange magical home.

As it had been with Cassie, Andy had taken to Sirius almost immediately. Once he had won her over with his warm, playful manner she had stuck to him like glue. Often she would follow him from room to room just waiting for him to do something silly that would make her laugh. He was like a big toy to her, and he ate up her adoration like candy.

He took to the role of father easily. Every day he sat with the children, playing with them, encouraging them, and watching over them with a loving and protective eye. He was infinitely gentle and patient even when it was obvious that his nerves were getting a bit frayed. No longer did he seem to mind his forced house arrest because the boredom he despised so much was all but gone, though he would occasionally lament the fact that he couldn't take the children out to show them their new world.

Still, he was happy. Anyone could see it, and it warmed Erin's heart and made her love him all the more. She wanted to show him how much in love with him she was, but their time together had been severely limited by the near-constant presence of the little ones. It made Erin feel a bit anxious and more than a little needy that she craved him, but could not have him to herself. However, she reasoned that if this was the trade she had to make - her newfound passion for the man she loved for the quality time with the children she had so desperately missed – she knew it was more than fair. Not that that made her want him any less.

A few stolen moments was all they ever had; long enough for a kiss or even a long embrace, but it was never really enough and when the children inevitably intruded, as they always did, he would groan, and sigh before allowing himself to be dragged away by the giggling little darlings. With each passing day the sexual tension only grew between them until Erin knew something had to be done to ease it before she lost control, threw him down on the nearest flat surface, and mounted him like a horse.

As he finished his story about the witch and the king the children begged for another story but Erin shook her head firmly. "No, no. You've had enough for tonight. It's time for bed. I need to speak with Sirius so you two need to sleep alone for a while."

They whined and cried, pleading for more time and when their efforts didn't work on their mother, they turned their large, cajoling eyes toward Sirius. He wavered, but in the end he held firm. "Come now," he said as firmly as he could manage when faced with such unadulterated cuteness. "No more dawdling. Everyone march upstairs for bed. "

It took nearly half an hour to get the children settled, but when they were finally securely tucked in, Sirius eased the door closed and turned to Erin. "So what did you need to talk to me about?"

She smiled sultrily and threw her arms around his neck before attacking his mouth like a wild woman. His eyes widened in surprise and she could feel him smile beneath her ravenous kisses before he wrapped his hand around the nape of her neck and pulled her even closer. He could hardly protest. For weeks every night had been sleepless and frustrating as he longed to feel Erin against him as she was right now. He hurt with wanting her and the only thing that had stopped him from dragging her off to bed like a caveman was the children, therefore he was extremely relieved that she had drawn the line.

His kiss was desperate and hungry, and he couldn't keep his hands from roaming; caressing and memorizing every curve and line of her body. He was on fire and if her barely contained moans were any indicator she was burning too.

They fumbled down the hall, bumping into walls and tripping over their own scrambling feet, unable and quite unwilling to pull away from each other. The children had been moved into Erin's old room now that it was empty and until now Erin had stayed with them to assuage their fear. It had been impossibly hard knowing that Sirius was so close by, and being unable to hold him as she slept. So now, as they frantically inched their way toward the master bedroom, all Erin could think about was having him to herself.

They had barely crossed the threshold of the room before he began pulling and ripping at her clothes. He was so eager to have her that he refused to let any obstacle prevent him from feeling her hot flesh against his. His mind was so clouded with lust that he knew that until his body was at least slightly sated, that there could be no successful foreplay. When her clothes were mostly off, he lifted her off her feet and dropped her on the bed. He was on her in the next instant – his mouth fusing to hers as he struggled to contain his all-encompassing desire.

"Hurry!"

It was the only word she said, the only word she could manage to form through her haze of lust and he knew what it meant, what she needed, because he needed it too. He tore at the fly of his jeans, needing to get the too-tight, painful material away from him. Seconds seemed to take an eternity until he was finally freed and pressed snugly against her fiery opening.

"Please say you're ready, because I can't wait any longer."

Erin nodded and then pulled his mouth to hers as he surged into her hot, wet body. Both of them gasped at the amazing sensation and Sirius forced himself to hold still as her body adjusted to his invasion. She was having none of it. Wrapping her legs around his hips she began to move; setting a shaky, eager rhythm that drove him mad. "Oh, God!" he groaned and then he pulled back until he was nearly out of her before thrusting hard once more. She gasped and held him tighter to her as he seemed to go wild above her.

The sensation he created was mind-shattering. Every stray thought fragmented and was replaced with pure feeling. There was nothing left of either of them but the pleasure. Every movement Sirius made sent great shockwaves of agonizing bliss coursing through their bodies. Erin could feel it building faster than it ever had before and all she wanted was to fly off that looming cliff. It took less than a minute more before she felt the pressure begin to build. She grabbed him to her, holding him as tightly as possible as her body erupted. The force of it was amazing. Every muscle contracted, squeezing him like a vice and pulsating with clamp-like force. It was too much. The sound he made was feral– a mixture of a groan and a scream as he began furiously pumping into her and then he was flying too. Nothing else existed but the two of them. Nothing else mattered but the insane pleasure coursing through their bodies. Calling what he felt as he climaxed an explosion was insulting to the actual force of his release. It was more like a tsunami. Wave after wave of intense sensation washed over him until he felt like he was drowning, and when the amazing feeling began to fade, she began to move again and he could do nothing but submit. The sun was near to rising before they finally fell into an exhausted sleep.

…..

After that night, Erin insisted that the children sleep in their own room. She simply couldn't be parted from Sirius again. It took a lot of coaxing, but eventually the children settled in to the new arrangement. It was at that point that Erin considered her life complete. She had her children and Sirius…what more could she want?

Sometimes she thought about Jack and what he must be going through. Andy had told her about how it had been before; how upset she had been when Erin had left her with Jack and how bad it was living with him and 'the mean lady'. She told her how much she'd missed her and how after Cassie had disappeared Jack and Delilah had fought a lot. Jack had apparently begun to suspect that Delilah had something to do with both Cassie and Erin's disappearances. But then, she said it seemed as though Jack and Delilah began to forget about Cassie. After a while whenever Andy mentioned her they thought she was talking about an imaginary friend. It upset Andy even more because she never forgot and she couldn't understand why they didn't remember.

That was a revelation. Albus suspected that once the biological bond was broken, Jack's reality began to shift. He suggested that since the children were no longer his, and no longer part of his world, that whatever magic had transported them all to this reality also erased all knowledge of them from that one. It didn't explain why he hadn't forgotten Erin though.

It angered her more than she cared to admit. She couldn't imagine forgetting her babies, magic or not. She also felt a bit perturbed that he was not going to suffer their loss as she had – at least not for long.

The small vindictive side of her delighted in any discomfort he might feel, after all, if he hadn't cheated on her, left her, and shattered her world; she might never have come here. If he and his horrible fiancé hadn't been so bad and neglectful to the children perhaps they might not have been unhappy either. She might have been able to forgive him if only he had been better to them. As it was, she wanted him to feel their loss as acutely as she had.

The larger part of her was more forgiving and was relieved that he didn't have to suffer for very long. She realized that the only reason she could forgive him as she had was because her life was suddenly so happy… for the time being at least. The future still loomed ahead like a dark storm cloud in the distance, but for now it could wait.

Happiness was pervasive with everyone at Grimmauld place for several weeks, but when the news of the mass breakout at Azkaban was announced, the Order went on high alert. Meetings increased from once a week to every other day. By the beginning of March the Order members were becoming very uneasy that nothing had happened yet.

Dumbledore was also quite concerned about the state of the school. He hated that under Dolores Umbridge's influence the place had become more like a prison than a school. He almost seemed to want the Death Eaters to make a move just so that the Ministry would realize their error and remove that horrible woman from his school. He was also asking everyone to re-double their efforts to recruit new members.

It seemed like a lost cause that anyone else would join until after something major happened to convince them that Dumbledore has been telling the truth all along. Therefore it came as a great surprise when Dumbledore introduced a new member one night.

They had been late to the meeting, arriving just as it was ending. When they walked in, Erin could hardly contain her gasp of delight.

"Melody!" she cried.

Melody seemed equally surprised to see Erin as well because at the sound of her voice she hesitated; her face darkening as she turned to look at her, then at once her expression changed and she shrieked and ran over to hug her.

"What are you doing here!" she grinned. "I thought you had gone home?"

Erin blushed and shrugged. "I decided to stay and join the Order instead."

Melody's eyes narrowed and her smile faded. "You've been here all this time and you never got in touch with me? Why the hell not?!"

"There's kind of been a lot going on," Erin explained feebly. "I've been living here since school ended."

Melody glanced around the room at all of the members of the Order before her eyes settled on Sirius as he was watching her rather suspiciously.

"Oh, hell…" she murmured uneasily. "You're Sirius Black. This is your family's home isn't it?" She turned back to Erin accusingly. "You've been living with an escaped criminal for nearly nine months?"

"He's not a criminal," Erin practically snarled. "He was framed. He didn't do anything wrong."

Melody seemed surprised by the force in her friend's voice and her frown deepened before a small disbelieving smirk took its place. "Wait, is…is there something going on between you two? Are you guys an item?"

Erin glanced at Sirius who sat back and crossed his arms as he waited for her to answer. She smiled softly at him and then walked over to sit on his lap. She took his face in her hands and leaned up to give him a gentle kiss before turning back to Melody.

"Sirius is the most amazing man I have ever met." She spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear, and she knew that every eye was on her. "I love him more than I can say. He has made my life complete."

The sound of a chair scraping made her head turn and she watched as Severus slowly got to his feet. He settled Sirius with an icy glare before sweeping indignantly from the room. She felt a pang of guilt watching him go but she refused to deny her feelings to spare him from the truth.

She felt Sirius tighten his arms around her and she turned to give him a sweet smile before facing Melody again. "I'm sorry I didn't contact you but I have been under strict orders to keep a low profile. I've hardly even gone outside since I've been here."

"Well," Melody chuckled. "If that's the case then I'm not surprised then that you two got together. What else was going to happen with you stuck here with such an attractive man as your sole company?"

"It's not like that," Erin scowled. "Besides, Remus lives here, too." She grimaced the moment the words passed her lips and she glanced up to see the amused surprise on Melody's face.

"That's even more fun," she chuckled.

"Oh, stop," Erin groused. "So, what are you doing here? How did you get involved with the Order?"

Melody shrugged lightly. "I'd heard rumors. After everything that happened at school last year I knew that the Ministry was either lying or denying the truth about what's really going on. I couldn't sit by and wait for the axe to drop. It was obvious from the way the Daily Prophet was suddenly bashing Professor Dumbledore that they were trying to discredit him, so I figured that if anyone could tell me how I could help it would be him. I contacted him and he told me about the Order and asked if I wanted to join. I said yes, and he brought me here. By the way, it was really something to see a house just appear between two other houses. I wasn't expecting that."

"Yes, this house is well protected," Sirius told her. "I assume you understand that."

Erin frowned at the suspicion in his voice but Melody seemed unfazed.

"Yeah," she smirked, "I think I caught that."

"Well, whatever the reason, I'm glad you're here," Erin said honestly. "The Order certainly needs more members. The more people who are prepared for the future, the better it will be for everyone. So, what have you been doing these last months?"

"Nothing as fun as you, apparently," she said mischievously. "Actually, I work in the ads department for the Daily Prophet. You know, I sell advertizing space to businesses or individuals who want to sell things or promote themselves. Nothing big, but it pays the bills."

"Well, I think it's awesome!" Erin smiled. "Do you have your own place now?"

"Yeah…well, Sort of," Melody shrugged. "I couldn't afford an apartment on my own so I have a roommate, but I hardly ever see her – so it's kind of like living alone."

"Cool, so are you seeing anyone?"

Melody blushed and then laughed. "Well, there have been a few guys that have come and gone, but no. There's no one special." She chuckled as she looked Sirius over. "Maybe I ought to try for an older man as well, huh? It seems like you lucked out." She glanced back to where the other order members were engaged in their own conversations and she smirked. "Is Lupin available? He's older AND hot."

Erin glanced over and watched as Tonks frowned in their direction and then suddenly began playing coyly with Remus' hair. She then leaned over and whispered something in his ear that made him choke on the sip of tea he had been attempting to swallow. Whatever she had said must have been completely unexpected because his eyes went wide and he practically gaped at her before gulping comically hard and nodding. The young Auror gave him a quick peck on the lips before sending Melody a look that clearly said, "hands off. He's mine."

Erin giggled and shook her head. "Sorry, he's taken."

"A pity," Melody sighed. "But, that's okay. I like bad boys better anyway,"

"Well there is one other member who is the same age as Sirius and Remus and he is very available."

"Oh?" Melody said, intrigued. "Who is he?"

"Severus Snape."

The other girl flinched visibly. "Gee, thanks…" she groused.

"I am totally serious." Erin insisted. "Severus is a wonderful man."

"Sure he is," Melody scoffed. "That's why he was always so bubbly and cheerful at school."

"He's just very…complicated," Erin explained vaguely, "But he really is a great man and he certainly does have that 'bad boy' quality you're so interested in."

"Yeah, but he's just so…"

"Greasy?" Sirius supplied.

Melody bust out laughing, and when she had caught her breath she nodded. "Exactly!"

"There are better things to judge people by than appearance," Erin scolded. "Severus is kind and generous and brave and wildly intelligent. He's also very courteous, and loyal. Personally, I've found him to be a wonderful person and I am honored to call him friend."

Melody and Sirius looked at her as if she had suddenly sprouted a second head.

"Do you remember how he treated anyone who wasn't a Slytherin?" Melody demanded. "He was horrible!"

"I went to school with him," Sirius added. "He was always a puffed-up nasty little git. Still is."

Erin scowled at both of them. "Neither of you have taken a chance to get to know him. I have. All you've seen is his defensive outer shell. Once you get to know him he really is a wonderful man."

Sirius chuckled derisively. "You can spend all the time you want getting to know him and looking under his shell, but I've seen enough of him to know that he's a spiteful, mean-spirited, evil wanker. Come to think of it, I don't want you looking under his shell. Who the hell knows what you might see," he shuddered a bit at the thought.

Melody laughed at his dramatized disgust but Erin growled lightly in indignation. "Believe what you want, though I wish you'd try to get to know him better."

"Darling, I promise that if he ever gives me a real reason to trust him, I will try harder to like him. As it is, I'm not wholly convinced that he isn't still just a Death Eater in disguise."

Erin wanted to try again to make them understand the truth about the misunderstood potions master, but Dumbledore called Melody to him to discuss the workings of the Order. The meeting had all but ended by the time they had finished talking and Melody was one of the last to leave, promising Erin that they would catch up more at the next meeting.

As Erin was cleaning up from the meeting Andy shuffled into the room. She told them she'd had nightmare and Sirius offered to tuck her back into bed and stay until she fell back to sleep. Erin went back to her task but only a moment later she was interrupted again.

"I don't need you to defend me," a stern voice demanded abruptly.

Erin gasped and whirled around to see Severus standing in the doorway. "Crap, you scared me!" she blurted, placing a hand over her startled heart. "I thought you'd gone. What are you still doing here?"

"I don't need you to defend me," he said again even more sternly. "And I don't appreciate you trying to set me up."

Erin started. He seemed so angry and it both worried and confused her. "I don't…" she began, but then realization hit her. "Wait, were you eavesdropping on me?"

She watched as he set his jaw and a deep scowl darkened his face. "What makes you think I need your help? I never asked you to interfere with my life."

She sighed and shook her head. "I wasn't interfering. Not really. I just don't like it when people discount you. You deserve the same happiness as anyone else. You are wonderful. I know it and I just wanted them to know it, too."

He stared at her hard for a full minute and she ached to know what he was thinking. He was silent for so long that she wondered if he was even going to say anything. Finally he took two aggressive steps forward and scoffed. "We discussed this once before and I thought you understood, but now you suddenly seem to think that life should be fair. Well, I can tell you for a fact that it isn't and it never will be. The sooner you understand that, the better off you'll be."

Erin chewed on her lip as she contemplated his ire. "You're right. It often isn't fair, but that doesn't mean that you just give up! You've got to keep trying to get the things you want, no matter how hard it is. That is what makes it all worthwhile."

Severus snarled at her words. "And if you never get what you want?" he hissed.

Erin sighed and took a step toward him but he held up a hand to ward her off. "I've learned something since I've been here," she began thoughtfully; "I've learned that sometimes what you want isn't what you need. And sometimes what you need isn't what you want."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that life has a way of surprising you. Sometimes it presents you with gifts that make no sense at the time. They can seem like obstacles or conundrums or even curses at first, but then over time you realize that they are there for a reason; that they are there to help you, or guide you or heal you. You just have to give them a chance."

"And what about when life gives you gifts and then rips them away?" He stared hard at her as he spoke. "Where is the fairness in that?"

"Do you mean Lily?" She asked and she instantly knew saying it was a mistake. His whole body stiffened and anger flooded his features.

"That is none of your business!" he snarled.

"Severus, please…" she implored meekly. "I didn't mean to upset you. "You're my friend. I was only trying to make them see you as I do. And you do deserve happiness. You deserve it just as much as anyone else. I just want your life to be fair, too."

"Happiness?! Fairness?!" He raged at her. "If you want that for me so badly then explain to me why you're with _him_!"

She jerked as if he slapped her, and she could only stare at him. "I don't…" she hesitated, trying to figure him out. "I don't understand what you're saying. Are you angry with me for being in love with Sirius?"

He said nothing but continued to glare at her and she took that as an affirmation. "Why?" she demanded. "Is it that you don't want to see him happy?"

"I couldn't care a whit about him or his happiness," he growled.

"Then is it me you want unhappy? I don't understand. Please tell me what I've done wrong."

He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "That isn't what I meant. I don't want you unhappy. I just don't want you to be with him!"

"Why not?"

"Because he doesn't deserve you!"

"And you do?"

Severus whipped around to see Sirius leaning lazily in the doorway. His expression seemed calm and mocking, but Erin could see the barely contained anger and indignation shining in his eyes.

"Stay out of this Black," Severus snapped. "It has nothing to do with you."

"Oh?" The raven haired man jeered. "Because it seems to me that you are making a not-so-subtle play for _my_ woman."

Erin could actually hear Severus' teeth grinding together, and she knew she needed to stop this before one of them lost it.

"Sirius, that isn't what he meant. Tell him, Severus. Tell him that isn't what this is about."

Severus's expression became pained and he turned slowly to settle his emotion-filled gaze upon her. Shock filled her as she realized the truth.

"Oh," she gasped. Pity, remorse, and guilt washed over her in turn and she raised a trembling hand to her mouth. "Oh, Severus, I am so sorry. I…I didn't know. Why didn't you say something before?"

"Would it have made a difference?" He demanded, his voice cracking dismally. "Would you have chosen me over him?"

Her heart sank. She knew the answer and she knew it would hurt him even more to say it. He was her friend, and she loved him as such, but it was not the passionate, all-encompassing love she felt for Sirius. He saw the truth in her eyes and he sighed deeply before going cold again.

"Do you see now, Erin?" he spat. "My life is not and will never be fair and from now on I want you to stay out of it!" With that he whipped around and knocked past Sirius as he stormed from the house.

Erin tried to call him back, but the sound of the front door slamming made it clear that he had nothing more to say.

"What have I done?" Erin whispered, shakily. Already, fat teardrops were snaking their way down her devastated face. "Oh, lord, what have I done?!"

Sirius' triumphant face softened instantly when he saw her pain and he walked over to wrap his arms around her. "Listen to me, sweetheart," he murmured against her hair as he held her trembling body. "You have done nothing wrong. None of this is your fault."

"I hurt him!" she cried. "Didn't you see how upset he was? I broke his heart! This is all my fault!"

He sighed heavily and lifted her chin so that her watery gaze met his. "Did you have any idea he felt that way about you?" Erin gulped but shook her head slowly. "Then how is it your fault if he never had the courage to say or do anything about it? How were you supposed to know how he felt? Did he just expect you to be lonely and miserable until he found the strength to tell you? No, that is both selfish and unfair, not to mention unreasonable. Then he has the gall to lay it on you like it's your fault that he's a damned coward."

"He's not a coward, Sirius," she sniffled indignantly as she pulled away from his embrace. "He's insecure. He just doesn't know how to expose his true feelings like that and as I recall, you weren't very forthright about your feelings at first either."

"And I was a damned fool for it," he admitted. "But when I thought I was losing you to Remus, I stepped up."

She laughed a little manically. "You got drunk, accused me of sleeping around, and then you tried to seduce me! I don't know how it works with you, but that's a really bad way of telling someone you love them. Oh, and as I recall I told you I loved you first."

He chucked lightly. "I remember. It was just after we'd made love for the first time. But, by that point I'd already fallen head over heels for you."

"So why hadn't you said anything? Why did you wait so long?"

He hesitated, frowning as he thought. "Because I wasn't sure you felt the same way."

"You didn't want to put your heart on the line only to be rejected, you mean. Just like him."

He wanted to retort, but he knew she was right. Still, he couldn't really feel bad for the greasy git. Surely he had seen what was happening. Surely he had known; and even if he hadn't it was unfair of him to heap his disappointment and jealousy onto Erin's shoulders.

Sirius huffed and took her hand in his. "Do you care about him?"

She tilted her head to the side as she looked up at him. Nodding, she said, "He's my friend. He's one of the first friends I made when I came here. If it hadn't been for him, I would never have survived the stress of those terrible first months. Of course I care about him."

"Well, then let's see if he can deserve your friendship. If he really wants you in his life then he'll get over this and move on. He'll welcome your love in whatever form you chose to give it, and if he can't accept it as it is, then he doesn't deserve it. It's that simple."

"But that's so harsh," she moaned.

He shrugged negligently. "It is what it is. He can take it or leave it, but he cannot make you feel bad about his decisions."

Erin thought over his words and even though it broke her heart she knew he was right. No friendship could be one-sided, and if Severus decided it was too painful to be around her anymore then she could not force him. She only prayed that he could accept her as she was.

She let Sirius wipe away her tears and then lead her away to bed where she lay curled up in his arms listening to his slow, rhythmic breaths as he slept. Her mind was racing. There was simply too much to think about. Not only could she not stop worrying about Severus, but it dawned on her that time was growing short for Sirius. If she couldn't find a way to prevent the future from happening, she'd lose him, and that was a heartbreak she knew she'd never be able to survive.

…..

Weeks passed. There had been a few worrisome happenings both within the Order and in the outside world. At the end of March, Dumbledore had been forced to either leave the school or face arrest. He made one last visit to Grimmauld place to inform the Order that for their own safety he was going into hiding, but that he would still communicate with them though less obvious means. He also told them that as the Ministry was now hunting for him, everyone previously known to associate with him would be under suspicion and he cautioned them to meet only when it was necessary. Meetings were fewer and fewer, which meant that Erin never had a chance to talk with Severus as she desperately wanted. He hadn't spoken to her once since their falling out. Even on the rare evening when he would attend a meeting, he flat out refused to acknowledge her and would leave as soon as possible in order to avoid her, or so it seemed.

His cold rejection weighed on her, adding to her already deep feelings of dread about Sirius. There was little time left and still no solutions came to mind for either dilemma. Erin was becoming desperate and she had no one with whom to share her worries. Still abiding by Dumbledore's request, she hadn't yet told Sirius about what awaited him. She knew it didn't matter if she told him or not because if events played out as they should, nothing could stop him from going to Harry's rescue. Still, she knew that as the deadline approached she would do anything to stop him from going, even if it meant destroying the timeline.

She tried not to let her worries show; not only for the children's sake, but also for Sirius. She knew that if he realized how miserable she was that he would most certainly get the information out of her. Still, try as she might to hide her fears, someone did notice.

Melody was a frequent visitor to Grimmauld place regardless of Dumbledore's warning. She figured that as the newest member and as a recent Hogwarts graduate, no one would suspect her of being in cahoots with the Order. Erin asked her to only visit after dinner to try and keep the children's presence a secret, but that plan fell through within two weeks.

It was an impromptu afternoon visit that had spoiled the secret. Melody had stopped by to deliver a message from Kingsley about some suspicious movements within the Ministry and it was during that visit that she had met the children. Erin tried to claim that they were merely relatives come to visit, but once Andy had slipped up and called her 'mom'. After that there was no denying the truth. Melody was more than surprised as she listened to Erin talk, but she seemed to take the information well. When Erin finished with her unbelievable tale all Melody said was, "I thought you were looking older, but I didn't want to hurt your feelings by saying anything."She stopped by nearly every day after that and over the next several visits she became one of the children's favorite people.

One evening in late April Melody stopped by for lunch. After they ate she pulled Erin into the library and confronted her.

"Okay, what's wrong," she demanded.

Surprised by the question, Erin could only blink. "What?" she asked. "What are you talking about? Nothing's wrong."

"Don't play dumb," Melody frowned. "I know something's wrong. You've got the same look on your face that you had before the third task. Something is up and I want to know what it is."

Erin sighed deeply. "Fine," she nodded. "Yes, something is bothering me but it doesn't matter. I can't talk about it."

Melody's eyebrows went up. "Ooh, so it has something to do with the future? It must be something bad for you to look the way you do."

"Yeah, it's bad," Erin confessed. "But I can't see any way to prevent it, so all I can do is wait and worry."

"That's no way to live," Melody groused. "How can they expect you to keep all of this bottled up inside? These people must have seen what happened to you last year. I was really worried about you then. I honestly thought you were dying. All you did was sleep and even when you were awake you were like a zombie. It's not fair that you have to shoulder this burden alone. You shouldn't have to, so spit it out. You know you can trust me."

"No, it's not fair," Erin agreed. "But as someone recently reminded me, life isn't fair. Beside, no one knows what will happen if I reveal the truth. I could throw this whole reality out of whack. It's just too dangerous to consider."

Melody considered her words and though she was clearly disappointed, she seemed to understand. "Okay, then. Well, if you can't share your burden, then how about forgetting it for a while. When was the last time you went anywhere? When was the last time you even set foot outside this house?"

"It has been a while," Erin admitted, "several months at least. But, I can't leave. What about the kids? What about Sirius. I can't just leave them here."

"The kids will be fine," Melody coaxed. "They won't be alone. And Sirius is a grown man. Surely he can handle things for an hour or two."

"I don't know," Erin sighed. "I'd like to get out, but…"

"But nothing!" Melody snapped. "You have more than earned some time away. You're not a prisoner here! Now, I won't take 'no' as an answer. You grab your jacket and I'll meet you outside. Don't keep me waiting!" With that she marched from the room and up the stairs.

Erin stared after her as her thoughts battled in her brain. Maybe Melody had the right idea. She needed to get away just for a little while so she could clear her mind. But then again, what about Sirius? She could only imagine his disappointment if she went out without him. She decided to talk to him and get his opinion, but when she opened the door to the kitchen she stopped in her tracks.

Sirius and Remus were huddled around the fireplace clearly talking to someone. It only took a second to recognize Harry's voice. This must be the day that his worries about his father got the better of him. With Ginny and the Twins' help he snuck into Dolores Umbridge's office and used her fireplace to contact Sirius. This was a conversation all three of them needed and she wasn't about to interrupt. That settled things in her mind. She would go out with Mel, but only for a short walk – just to get some fresh air.

She grabbed her jacket, purse and wand and was almost to the door when a small voice stopped her.

"Mommy, where are you going?" Andy asked.

"I'm just going for a quick walk with Melody, honey."

"Can I come?"

The child's plea tugged at her heart, but she knew she needed this time to herself. "No, baby," she shook her head. "Mommy just needs a few minutes to think. Besides, I need you to watch over Sirius. You know how lonely he gets. Can you be a big girl and do that for me?"

Erin expected a fight, or at least a few crocodile tears, but to her surprise the little girl straightened and patted her hand stoically. "Don't worry, mama. I'll take care of him."

Erin smiled warmly and kissed her daughter's head. "What a big, responsible girl you are! Don't worry, darling. I'll be back soon." Then before anything else could stop her, she bolted for the door.

Melody smiled brightly as Erin met up with her on the sidewalk. "You took so long I thought you'd chickened out! So, where do you want to go?"

Erin glanced around the area and shrugged. "Let's just walk for a bit. It'll be dark soon and I want to be back before anyone begins to worry."

"Just a walk?" Melody pouted. "I was hoping for a bit of shopping, but I guess a walk is better than nothing. Let's go."

The early spring air was brisk but comfortable and the world smelled of new grass and flowers. It had been so long since Erin had been out in the open that she quite reveled in it. Everywhere she looked she saw the beauty of nature and the springtime cycle of rebirth. The sounds of birds and crickets filled the air and gave her a momentary, but much needed sense of peace.

They walked along the busy street for a time before coming along a quaint little park. "Do you want to sit for a while?" Melody asked, motioning toward a bench in the distance.

"Sure," Erin shrugged. She didn't care where they went as long as they could be back before nightfall.

The bench was in the middle if the park, and to Erin's delight it faced a small pond where a family of ducks swam on top of the still water. They sat in silence basking in the peaceful surroundings. Erin was happy that Melody seemed to know not to press her for any information. She appeared equally content just to lose herself in the scenery. Erin had to admit that she'd needed this and it occurred to her that the kids probably needed this as well. She promised herself then that she would return with them the very next day. Maybe Sirius could come as well, if he stayed in dog form.

Finally the sun began to sink in the horizon and Erin made to stand. "Thanks for this Mel, but it's getting late and I should head back now."

To her surprise Melody shook her head. "No, let's stay just a bit longer."

Erin made an impatient face and got to her feet. "I really have to get back to the kids, but you can stay as long as you want."

"No!" Melody shouted, grabbing Erin by the arm and pulling her back down. "You have to stay!"

For the first time Erin felt a shock of uncertainty. She looked at the frantic expression on her friend's face and she realized something wasn't right. Melody's eyes were wide and slightly glazed. Her face seemed strangely strained and yet expectant - as if she were both awaiting and dreading something. "What is wrong with you?" Erin demanded. The uncertainty she'd felt a moment before had morphed into great unease. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she knew that she was not going to wait around for something bad to happen.

"I'm going," she said firmly, trying to pry herself out of Melody's surprisingly iron-like grip.

"You can't!" Melody smiled; and it was a smile that sent chills racing up Erin's spine."

"Why not?" She asked, trying to control her rising fear.

"Because she's not here yet!" Melody grinned manically.

"Who isn't here yet?" Erin whispered, fear clogging her throat. "Melody? Who are you waiting for?"

"Me!"

Erin jumped and whirled around but she was only able to catch a single glance of the new arrival before pain erupted behind her ear. She hit the ground hard and her vision began to blur from the dual impacts to her head. As her world darkened she tried to focus on the figure standing above her. It took several seconds, but eventually the face became clear and her eyes widened in shock and alarm.

Brittany laughed harshly as she leaned down and slapped Erin's cheek hard, sending another bolt of pain coursing through her head. "I've been waiting forever to do that. I wonder if he'll let me lead your interrogation. Wouldn't that be fantastic?!"

Erin heard the words as if in slow motion, and she had to struggle to make her mouth work.

"W-who?" she whispered.

"Why, Lord Voldemort, of course!" She laughed again, but this time it had an evil, deranged edge. Then she stood, and drew her wand.

Erin thought about her children and Sirius. She knew they were waiting for her and she knew they were going be waiting for a long time. A single tear ran across her face as she silently sent them her love and then she closed her eyes and her world went dark.

...

Alright! So, what do you think?

Let me know in the reviews.


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